•  fRKIHY 

LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF 
CALIFORNIA 


*  *  * 

This  is  an  authorized  facsimile  and  was  produced  by 
microfilm-xerography  in  1971  by  University  Microfilms, 
A  Xerox  Company,  Ann  Arbor,  Michigan,  U.S.A. 

#  *  * 


MEMOIR 


or  TIIK 


LIFE  AND  CHARACTER 


OP 


SAMUEL  HOPKINS,  D.D. 


BY  EDWARDS  A.  PARK,  D.  D. 


SECOND   EDITION. 


•    BOSTON: 
DOCTRINAL  TRACT  AND  BOOK  SOCIETY. 

1854. 


IOAM  STACK 


* 


n» »  r 


MEMOIR 


UPF         <' 


NS 


I 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  ye&r  1852,  by 

SEWALL  HARDING, 
In  the  Clerk'o  Oflice  of  tl»c  District  Court  of  th«  District  of  Massnchvuetts. 


flTKHEOTTTRD   AT  TKH 

HTKnROTTPK     FOt'XDRY. 


2H71 


PREFACE  TO  THE  MEMOIR 


A  RECEirr  number  (CXI.)  of  the  Westminster  Review  contains  the  fol 
lowing  remark :  "  A  fault  of  the  Americans,  to  which  wo  fear  they  ore  be 
coming  more  and  more  addicted,  is  a  certain  tendency  to  decry  the  abilities 
and  virtues  of  their  most  distinguished  historical  characters."  The  justness 
of  this  remark,  is  apparent  in  the  disposition  of  some  American  authors  to 
depreciate  the  merits  of  Samuel  Hopkins.  The  ensuing  Memoir  is  by  no 
means  a  full  vindication  of  this  distinguished  "  historical "  personage.  An 
adequate  account  of  his  life  and  labors  would  fill  a  large  volume.  The 
materials  for  such  a  volume  are  still  extant.  A  selection  from  them  ia  now 
given  to  the  public.  This  selection  is  sufficient  to  prove  the  strength  and 
the  piety  of  Hopkins,  as  well  as  his  great  influence  upon  the  American 
churches. 

In  publishing  his  Journal,  Letters,  and  other  manuscripts,  no  attempt  has 
been  made  to  correct  their  faulty  style ;  but  they  are  printed,  in  the  main, 
as  they  were  originally  written.  In  some  few  instances,  where  his  words 
were  illegible,  or  very  obscure,  the  biographer  has  inserted,  within  brackets, 
the  terms  or  phrases  which  seemed  to  express  the  idea  intended  in  the  origi 
nal  manuscript. 

For  many  of  the  facte  stated  in  the  ensuing  pages,  the  biographer  is  in 
debted  to  surviving  parishioners  or  personal  friends  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  and  to 
several  literary  gentlemen  who  have  interested  themselves  in  antiquarian 
researches.  He  owes  especial  thanks  to  lion.  William  R.  Staples  and  John 
Kingsbury,  Esq.,  of  Providence,  R.  I.,  Walter  Channing,  M.  D.,  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  ProfcHHor  James  L.  Kingsloy,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  Rev.  William 
B.  Sprngue,  1).  I).,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  Rev.  Brown  Emerson,  D.  D.,  of  Sa 
lem,  Mass.,  Rev.  Calvin  Hitchcock,  D.  D.,  of  Randolph,  Mass.,  Rev.  John 
Ferguson,  of  Whately,  Mass.,  and  to  many  others  who  havo  rendered  him 
important  aid.  He  has  derived  much  information  from  the  voluminous  cor 
respondence -of  Dr.  Hopkins,  from  two  manuscript  letters  of  the  late  Rev. 
William  E.  Channing,  D.  D.,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  from  the  Literary  Diary  of 
President  Stiles,  and  from  the  following  printed  works:  ''Sketches  of  the 
Life  of  the  late  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  the  First  Congrcgm- 


via  PREFACE    TO    THE    MEMOIR. 

tional  Church  in  Newport,  written  by  himself;  interspersed  with  marginal 
notes  extracted  from  his  private  diary."  with  an  Introduction  by  Stephen 
West,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  the  Church  in  Stockbridge,  Mos«. ;  published  in  Hart- 
ford,  Conn.,  1805; — "Reminiscences  of  tho  late  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkina, 
I).  D.,  of  Newport,  R.  I.,  illustrative  of  his  character  and  doctrines,  with 
incidental  subjects :  from  an  intimacy  with  him  of  twenty-ono  years,  while 
Pastor  of  a  sister  Church  in  said  town,  by  William  Patten,  D.  D."  1843 ;  — 
"Memoir  of  the  Life  and  Character  of  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  D.  D.,  former 
ly  Pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island : 
with  an  Appendix;  by  John  Ferguson,  Pastor  of  tho  East  Church  in  Attlo- 
.wrougli,  Muss;"  published  in  Boston,  IKK).  The  author  of  the  last-named 
work  was,  for  many  years,  a  member  of  tho  church  to  which  Dr.  Hopkins 
had  ministered,  wan  an  intimate  friend  of  the  widow  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  and 
was  personally  acquainted  with  many  facts  illustrative  of  Hopkins's  charac 
ter.  Tho  Memoir  which  Mr.  Ferguson  wrote  hns  been  very  fully  indorsed 
by  Rev.  Caleb  J.  Tcnnoy,  D.  1).,  of  Wcthorefield,  Conn.  In  a  letter  dated 
December  11, 18-W,  Dr.  Tenney  wrote  to  Mr.  Ferguson: 

u  I  have  lately  reperused,  with  increased  interest,  your  brief  Memoirs  of 
tJio  Life  of  the  late  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  1).  I).,  of  Newport,  11.  I. 

"  My  residence  in  his  family  during  several  of  tho  lust  months  of  his  life, 
1  recollect,  now  forty  years  ago,  as  a  very  highly-fuvorod  passage  in  my  own 
life,  This  acquaintance!  with  ono  of  the  best  men,  and  one  of  tho  ablest  di 
vines,  whom  I  have  ever  known,  and  my  settlement  with  tho  same  church 
and  people  to  whom  he  ministered,  afforded  me  peculiar  opportunity  to  learn 
his  character  and  the  facte  in  his  history. 

"Of  many  things  in  your  Memoirs,  I  had  personal  knowledge,  and  of  most 
of  tho  other  things,  I  had  the  most  authentic  information,  and  can  most  un 
hesitatingly  say,  that  tho  public  may  rely  upon  your  Life  of  Hopkins  as 
prepared  with  great  accuracy  and  fidelity,  and  ad  approaching  well  to  a 
perfect  presentation  of  the  original  in  actual  and  real  life." 

It  may  be  added,  that  nearly  all  the  more  important  statements  in  the  en 
suing  Memoir  have  been  submitted  to  some  of  Dr.  Hopkins's  former  friends, 
and  have  been  inserted  in  the  Memoir  with  their  approval.  Several  of  the 
manuscripts  here  published,  have  not  been  seen  by  the  biographer,  but  were 
copied  for  him  by  trustworthy  friends. 

EnwARDs  A.  PARK. 

ANDOVEU  Tnroi,ooioAi.  SHMTNAUV, 
March  10,  1W»2. 


CONTENTS. 


MEMOIR. 

SECT.  I.  Family  and  Birth,  pp.  9-12.  Religious  character  of  Hopkins' s  an 
cestor*,  p.  11.  Dr.  Hopkins,  of  West  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  —  Dr.  Hop 
kins,  of  Hadley,  Massachusetts,  —  and  Dr.  Lemuel  Hopkins,  of  Hnrtford,  Con 
necticut,  p.  10. 

SKCT.  II.  C/nUhood,  pp.  12, 13.  Correctness  of  demeanor,  —  love  of  home, 
p.  12. 

SF.CT.  III.  College  Life,  find  early  Religious  History,  pp.  13-20.  Discipline 
in  logic,  p.  13.  Preparation  for  metaphysical  theology,  pp.  13,  14.  Kmincnt 
classmates,  p.  14.  Relation  to  tho  moderate  Calvinists,  p.  15.  Interest  in 
Mr.  Whitclield,  p.  15;  — in  Mr.  Gilbert  Tcnnent,  pp.  10,  18.  Interview  with 
David  Brainerd,  pp.  10,  17.  Conversion,  pp.  17,  18.  First  mention  of  Presi 
dent  Kdwards,  p.  18.  Mrs.  Edwards,  p.  ID.  Mental  dejection,  pp.  18,  19. 
Dr.  Bucll,  p.  1'.).  Circumstances  attending  Hopkins's  conversion,  in  their  in 
fluence  upon  his  subsequent  life,  p.  20. 

Srcrr.  IV.  licsidcneo  at  Xorttuunplon,  and  Study  of  Theology,  pp.  20-24. 
Family  of  President  Kdwards, —  interview  with  Mrs.  Kdwards,  p.  21,  Her 
Hopkinsian  sentiments,  p.  22.  Hopkins  begins  to  preach,. p.  23.  Length  of 
timo  spent  with  President  Edwards,  pp.  23,  24. 

SKCT.  V.     Private  Journal,  p.  24. 

SK.CT.  VI.  I'.nrUrxt  r.fforty  in  the.  Chfistinn  Ministry,  and  l'\'vlln<js  in  View  of 
thfin,  pp.  21  2(5.  Christian  modesty,  —  despondency,  p.  23.  Christian  hope, 
pp.  2ir>,  2<i.  Self-dedication,  p.  2(5.  Saturday  fasts,  p.  2(>. 

SIXT.  VII.  lli'd.ions  for  Hope  ami  Disrournpfment  on  Entering  th?  Stirred  Of- 
jci;  pp.  27-32.  Personal  appearance  of  Hopkins,  pp.  27,  'JS.  Appearance  in 
the  pulpit,  p.  2$.  Stylo  of  elocution  and  of  writing,  pp.  2^,  29.  Fondness 
for  strong  expressions,  pp.  29,  30.  Want  of  fitness  for  popular  oratory,  pp. 
30,  31.  Personal  dil'idenco,  p.  31.  Occasional  power  over  his  hearers,  pp.  31, 
3U.  Approbation  of  his  earliest  efforts  in  the  pulpit,  p.  32. 

SK<T.  VIII.  Ordination  at  lloitsntonirf;,  or  (>rcnt  Dnn'infffont  pp.  33-35. 
Condition  of  the  place,  pp.  33,  3.1.  Smi'.llness  of  salary,  p.  31.  Fever  and 
ague,  p.  31.  Ordination  day,  p.  35. 

Sv.cr.  IX.  Mr.  Hopkins  in  /it.t  J'dw/tidl  /.ul>or,  pp.  35-37.  Temperance  ro- 
form,  p.  35.  Feelings  of  a  missionary,  pp.  35,  30.  Faithfulness  to  young 
converts,  p.  37. 

a 


A  CONTENTS. 

SECT.  X.  Extemporaneous  and  Expository  Preaching,  pp.  38,  39.  Mr.  Sor- 
goant's  objections,  p.  38.  Heading  of  tho  Bible.  In  public  service,  pp.  38,  39. 
blcmorittr  preaching,  p.  39. 

Srcr.  XI.  Interference  of  Colonial  Troubles  with  Mr.  Hopkins'*  Ministry,  pp. 
40-43.  Sacrifices  for  his  country,  p.  40.  Disturbance  of  worship,  pp,  40,  41. 
Nearly  thrco  month?*'  absence  on  an  Indian  ncout,  p.  41.  President  Ed- 
wards's  fits,  p.  41.  Removal  from  Great  Harrington  for  safety,  p.  42.  Acci 
dent  to  Mrs.  Hopkins,  p.  42.  Letters  to  Dr.  Bellamy,  pp.  41-43.  Martial 
spirit,  p.  43. 

SKCT.  XJI.  Interest  in  tho  Aboriyinal  Tribes,  pp.  44,  4/5.  Preaching  to  the 
Indians,  p,  \\".  Invitation  to  settle  over  them,  p.  41.  Influence,  in  securing 
President  Edwards,  aa  their  missionary,  p.  44.  Intimacy  between  Hopkins 
and  Edwards,  pp.  41,  46.  Correspondence  with  President  Whfcclock,  p.  45. 

SKCT.  XIII.  Sirmon  to  the  Indians,  pp.  45-49.  jV«lrr^  in  preaching,  p.  4.3. 
Interesting  circumstance  connected  with  this  sermon,  p.  4(5. 

SKCT.  XIV.  Social  Jntircourtc,  pp.  49-61.  Visits  to  President  Edwards,  pp. 
49,  60.  Their  theological  importance,  p.  50.  Critic-isms  on  EdWards'a  Works, 
p.  60 ;  —  on  Bellamy's  Works,  pp.  60,  61.  Dismission  of  President  Edward*, 
p.  61. 

Srcr.  XV.  Studious  Life  at  Vrcat  Jlarrinyton,  pp.  61-53.  Number  of  hours 
daily  spent  in  study,  —  temperance  in  diet,  p.  62.  Extent  of  his  reading, 
p.  63. 

SKCT.  XVI.  Domestic  Life  and  family  at  Urvat  Jlarrinyton,  pp.  51-58.  Let 
ter  to  his  mother,  p.  61.  Her  death,  p.  64.  His  marriage,  p.  65.  Death  of 
his  father,  pp.  66,  6(5.  Aid  to  his  brother,  Dr.  Daniel  Hopkin*,  p.  60.  Friend 
ship  with  Mr.  John  Norris,  p.  60.  Mark  Hopkins,  Esq.,  p.  67.  Dr.  Hop* 
kins's  treatment  of  hi.s  ehildren,  p.  67.  Brief  account  of  them,  pp.  67,  68. 

SKCT.  XVII.  Influence  on  I'ullic  Men,  pp.  58  (51.  Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards, 
pp.  68,  69.  Hopkins  recommends  exercises  in  elocution,  p.  69.  Dr.  Stephen 
\Vest,  pp.  69,  GO.  Dr.  Samuel  Spring,  p.  GO.  Hey.  David  Sanford,  pp,.GO-G2. 
Candor  of  Hopkins,  p.  (53.  Connection  of  the  early  Hopkinsians  with  benev 
olent  institutions,  pp.  GO-G-1. 

SKCT.  XVIII.  (icncral  Influence  in  the  Community,  pp.  C1-G7.  Half-way 
covenant,  jv.  Gl.  (Jeneral  opposition  to  Edwardeunism,  pp.  Gl,  05.  Hopkins 
invited  to  New  Jersey,  p.  (56.  Relations  tn  the  college  of  New  Jersey,  pp.  G5, 
GG.  Presidency  of  the  college,  p.  (5(5.  Female  prayer  meeting  in  Boston,  p.  (57. 

SKCT.  XIX.  Ministry  at  (!>r<it  Jlarrinyton,  -  i(n  Termination  and  Jit-xnlls, 
pp.  G7-72.  Admissions  to  his  ehurch,  p.  (57.  His  strict  Calvinism  unpopular, 
pp.  GH,  G9.  Opposition  of  the  Tories  to  Hopkins,  p.  (>9.  His  popularity  at 
Salem,  Massachusetts,  —  letters  to  Bellamy,  p.  70.  Dismission,  pp.  70,  71. 
Bad  effects  of  it,  p.  71. 

SKCT.  XX.  Depth  of  Mr.  Itopkins'a  llcliyious  l\c!in<js  dnrimj  and  after  his 
ltcsi(l:'iic(\  at  drcut  HnrriiKjtun,  jip.  72  7(5.  His  luunility,  pp.  72,  73.  Adora 
tion,  p.  71.  The  Trinity,  p.  71.  Delight  in  (Jod,  p.  75. 

SKCT.  XXI.  Sciviul  Cainlitlatcship,  ]>p.  7(5  79.  Opposition  to  his  settlement 
at  Newport,  pp.  7(>,  77.  Power  of  his  farewell  sermon,  pp.  77,  78.  Triumph 
over  the  opposition,  pp.  7S,  79. 

SECT.  XXII.     Connection  of  Mr.  Hopkins  with  Dr.  &ra  Stiles,  his   Ckrical 


CONTENTS.  3 

Neighbor  at  Newport,  pp.  79-83.  Moderate  Calvinism  of  Dr.  Stiles,  p.  79.  His 
opposition  to  Ilopkins's  settlement,  pp.  79,  80.  His  account  of  tho  installa 
tion,  p.  80.  His  learned  sermon,  p.  81.  Subsequent  friendship  -with  Dr.  Hop 
kins,  p.  82. 

SECT.  XXIII.  Early  Prospects  and  Success  at  Newport,  pp.  83-80.  Relative 
importance  of  tho  town,  p.  83.  Qualifications  of  Mr.  Hopkins  for  usefulness 
in  it,  p.  84.  His  various  labors  and  BUCCCHS,  pp.  81,  85.  Church  discipline, 
pp.  85,  80. 

SKCT.  XXIV.  Visit  from  Mr.  IVIiitcJicld,  pp.  80,  87.  Intercourse  of  White- 
fleld  with  Hopkins,  p.  80.  Their  debates,  p.  87. 

SKCT.  XXV.  Affectionate  Intercourse  with  Friends,  pp.  87-89.  His  strong 
friendships  indicate  the  typo  of  his  theology,  pp.  87-89.  Intcnsoncss  of  reli 
gious  joy,  p.  89.  ^ 

SECT.  XXVI.  Effect  of  tho  Revolutionary  War  fc/xm  th*  Ministry  of  Mr.  Hop 
kins,  pp.  80-02.  His  parsonage  destroyed,  mccting-hoxisc  injured,  people  im 
poverished,  p.  90.  Increase  of  infidelity,  p.  91.  Charitable  assistance  ren 
dered  to  his  church,  pp.  91,  92.  His  want  of  miuititcrial  success  owing,  in 
some  measure,  to  political  causes,  pp.  91,  92. 

SKCT.  XXVII.  Conduct  in  tho  .Midst  of  Poverty,  pp.  92-95.  Dr.  W.  E. 
Channing's  description  of  Hopkins,  p.  92.  Influence  of  his  freedom  from  av 
arice,  on  his  theology,  p.  93;  —  on  his  pastoral  life,  p.  91.  Testimony  of  Dr. 
Walter  Channing,  p.  94. 

Sr.cT.  XXVIII,  Three  Years'  Absence  from  Newport,  pp.  95-98.  Labors 
with  Dr.  Spring,  at  Newburyport,  p.  95.  Success,  pp.  90,  97. 

SKCT.  XXIX.  Christian  Education;  the  Osborn  Society,  pp.  98-101.  Hop- 
kins'H  success  in  improving  the  character  of  tho  church,  p.  98.  Character  of 
Mrs.  Osborn,  p.  99.  Miss  Susanna  Anthony,  p.  100.  Miss  Donclly,  pp. 
100,  101. 

SKCT.  XXX.  Hopkins  misrepresented,  pp.  101-107.  Resemblance  between 
Hopkins  and  Edwards,  p.  101.  Channing's  description  of  Hopkins,  p.  101. 
Incidents  from  Dr. 'Fatten,  pp.  102,  103.  Hopkins  on  infant  damnation,  p. 
103.  lib  rule,  in  speaking  of  tho  absent,  p.  103. .  Interview  with  tho -walking 
philosopher,  —  inquisitiveness  of  Hopkins,  p.  104.  Dinputo  with  Mr.  Murray, 
pp.  10o,  IOCS.  Charge  of  illiberality,  p.  107. 

SKCT.  XXXI.  Letter  to  Dr.  Stiles,  pp.  107-112.  Important  acknowledgment 
of  Dr.  Stiles,  —  his  respect  for  the  personal  character  of  Hopkins,  p.  108.  Tho 
two  axioms  of  Hopkinsianism,  pp.  108,  10!)'.  Its  unpopularity,  p.  109.  Dr. 
Channing's  explanation  of  Hopkins's  unpopularity  in  the  pulpit,  pp.  109,  110. 
Confession  of  Hopkins  himself,  pp.  110,  111.  His  love  of  solitude,  p.  111. 
His  success  in  tho  pulpit  underrated,  p.  112. 

SKCT.  XXXII.  Hopkins  as  a  Reformer,  pp.  112-114.  Channing's  opinion 
of  him  as  a  reformer,  p.  112.  Abstinence  from  ardent  spirit  and  tobacco, — 
opinions  on  Free-masonry,  p.  113; — on  lotteries,  p.  114.  Possession  of  a 
slave,  p.  114. 

SUCT.  XXXIII.  Public  Opposition  to  tho  Shtve  Trade  and  to  S/atYryUip.  115- 
118.  Ihickminstcr's  opinion  of  Hopkins,  —  interest  of  NowporVtn  tho  slave 
trade,  p.  115.  Heroism  of  Hopkins  in  opposing  slavery,  p.  110.  Effect  of  his 


4  CONTENTS. 

Dialogue,  -p.  117.  Honorary  member  of  manumiwion  societies,  —  interritw 
•mth  Dr.  Bellamy,  p.  118. 

SECT.  XXXIV.  Interest  in  Abolition  Societies,  and  in  Political  Action  agaixtt 
Slavery t  pp.  119-129.  Ilopkins's  knowledge  of  human  nature,  —  acts  of  the 
Khodc  Island  Legislature  against  Slavery,  p.  119.  Nowtpapcr  essays  against 
slavery,  pp.  120,  122,  124.  Esteem  for  the  Quakers,  pp.  120,  123.  Clerical 
notion  against  slavery,  pp.  121-123.  Abolition  societies,  pp.  125-128. 

SKCT.  XXXV.  Christiani:ation  of  Africa,  pp.  129-138.  Interview  with  Dr. 
Stiles,  on  the  subject,  pp.  129,  130.  Two  candidates  for  missionary  life,  pp. 
130,  131,  133.  First  missionary  circular  signed  by  Drs.  Stiles  and  Hopkins, 
pp.  131,  132.  HesultH  of  it,  pp.  132,  133.  Dr.  Chauuey'n  opposition  to  Hop 
kins,  p.  133.  Second  missionary  circulur,  pp.  134  130.  The  third  and  fourth 
missionary  candidate,  p.  130.  Correspondence  with  Phillis  "Wheatley,  pp. 
137,  138.  Monthly  meeting  for  prayer,  —  an  Education  and  u  Missionary  So 
ciety,  p.  138. 

Sr.cr.  XXXVI.  Colonization  of  Africa,  pp.  138-164.  Its  connection  with 
the  ovangeli/.ution  of  Africa,  p.  138.  First  distinct  till  union  to  the  coloni/.ution 
scheme,  p.  139.  Opinion  concerning  Dr.  Thornton,  p.  139.  Correspondence 
with  Uranvillo  Sharp,  pp.  1  -10-143.  Correspondence  with  Dr.  John  Erskine, 
pp.  113,  114.  Union  of  the  plan  for  evangelizing,  with  the  plan  for  colonizing 
Africa,  pp.  Ill,  11/5.  Arguments  for  colonization,  pp.  145-148.  Proposal  to 
secure  the  aid  of  tlie  National  (Jovernment  for  colonizing  Africa,  p.  140.  Pro 
posal  to  form  a  Colonization  Company,  pp.  140,  147.  Ilopkins's  perseverance 
and  generosity  in  the  cause  of  African  missienft  and  colonization,  pp.  148,  149, 
153.  Correspondence  with  Xaehary  Macaulay,  pp.  150-1/53. 

SKCT.  XXXVII.  2\'ni'j>ort  (.lanlncr,  pp.  154-150.  Ili.s  remarkable  talents, 
p.  164.  Circumstances  connected  with  his  liberation,  pp.  165,  160.  His  per 
severance  in  the- plan  of  returning  to  hw  native,  land, —  his  embarkation, — 
death,  p.  150.  Inllueuce  of  Hopkins  upon  him,  pp.  155,  150. 

SKCT.  XXXVIII.  Church  Action  in  llryurd  to  Sl^n'cry,  pp.  167,  168.  Meas 
ures  for  securing  the  freedom  of  a  slave  owned  by  Dr.  Ilopkins's  deacon, — 
resolution  against  ulavery,  p.  157. 

Srcr.  XXXIX.  Thti  I'nitnl  Shift's  Constitution  and  the  Slace  Interest,  pp. 
1,'iH,  159.  Hopkins'*  opinion  of  tho  Constitution,  pp.  158,  159. 

Sr.rr.  XL.  7i<7«//rr  Vmition  of  Hopkins  nmontj  tha  Friends  nf  the  Slave,  pp. 
159-105.  Ilis  predecessors  in  opposing  the  slave  system,  p.  100.  Ilis  priority 
to  many  others,  p.  101,  His  precedence  to  others  in  the  scheme  of  evangeliz 
ing  Africa,  p.  102;  —  and  in  the  colonization  scheme,  pp.  102-104.  His  influ 
ence  in  promoting  tho  coloni/.ation  cause,  pp.  104,  105.  Samuel  J.  Mills,  pp. 
104,  105. 

Sr.rr.  XLI.  Interest  in  th?  \cyro  Popntnffon  of  Xcirimrt,  p.  IOC.  Negro 
subscribers  to  his  System  of  Divinity,  —  testimony  of  Dr.  Channing,  p.  100. 

SI:<T.  XT, II.  Interest  in  \<ition<tl  ami  Church  7V//y,  pp.  100-109.  His  Fed- 
eralism,  p.  100.  His  opinion  on  the  "Plan  of  Union,"  p.  107.  Ilis  Church 
Articles,  pp.  107-109.  Kelation  of  children  to  the  church,  p.  108.  Duty  of 
the  church  in  regard  to  the  support  of  its  pastor,  p.  109. 

Sr.rr.  XLIII.  Influence  of  llopkini's  Personal  Character  rpon  his  Theological 
System,  pp.  109-187.  His  hone,  ty,  p.  170.  Ilis  strength  of  character,  pp.  170, 


CONTENTS,  f  0 

171.  His  love  of  investigation,  and  of  metaphysics,  p.  171.  His  benevolence 
and  senso  of  justice,  pp.  172,  173.  His  union  of  the  doctrines  pertaining  to 
sovereignty,  decrees,  etc.,  with  those  pertaining  to  human  freedom,  pp.  172- 
175.  Agreement  with  Edwards  and  Emmons,  pp.  173-175.  His  tenacity  of 
purpose,  pp.  175,  176.  His  love  of  free,  rational,  and  biblical  inquiry,  pp.  176 
-180.  His  situation  in  lifo  favored  his  independence  of  thought,  p.  177.  His 
defence  of  Now  Divinity,  pp.  177,  178.  His  disregard  of  human  authori 
ty,  pp.  178,  179.  His  love  of  progress,  pp.  179,  180.  Fears  with  regard  to 
him,  p.  180.  His  deference  for  tho  Bible,  pp.  180,  181.  Its  influence  on  his 
theological  style,  p.  181.  His  modesty,  pp.  181-184.  Indisponition  to  claim 
originality,  pp.  182,  183.  His  syittom  Calvinistio,  pp.  183,  184.  His  confi 
dence  in  tho  extent  of  divino  truth,  —  success  of  his  theological  labors,  pp. 
184,  185.  His  comprehensiveness  of  mind,  pp.  185-187.  Combination  of  doc 
trines  often  regarded  as  antagoniatic,  pp.  185,  180.  Ilcpugnancc  of  his  prin 
ciples  to  Fclagianism,  p.  187. 

SKCT.  XLIV.  Writings  of  Hopkins,  pp.  187-231.  Their  relation  to  Now 
England  theology,  pp.  187,  188. 

A.  Discourses  on  Sin,  pp.  188-190.  Suggested  by  his  religious  feelings,  p.  189. 
Opposed  on  tho  ground  of  their  high  Calvinism,  p.  189.  Illustrative  of  their  author's 
reverence  for  God,  and  hatred  of  sin,  p.  190. 

D.  Inquiry  concerning  the -Promises  of  the  Gosptl,  pp.  190,  191.  Hopkins'S  opin 
ion  on  tho  slate  of  infants,  p.  191. 

C.  Reply  to  Mills  on  the  Character  of  the  Sinner's  Acts,  pp.  191-193.     This  work 
contains  tho  most  noted  peculiarity  of  Hopkinsianism,  pp.  191,  192.     Written  amid 
severe  opposition,  p.  192.     Apology  for  his  severity,  p.  193. 

D.  Reply  to  ILirCs  Dialogue.  — Kpithrt  "  Hopkinsian,"  pp.  193-197.    Works  pub 
lished  against  Dr.  Hopkins,  pp.  191, 195.  *Thcir  spirit,  pp.  191-196.     Relation  of  Hop 
kinsianism  to  Edwardcauism,  p.  195.     Feelings  of  Hopkins  in  tho  midst  of  his  contro 
versies,  pp.  196,  197. 

E.  Work  on  Holiness,  pp.  197-199.     Opposition  of  Dr.  Hcmmenway,  pp.  197, 198, 
Charges  against  Hopkins,  p.  198.     Opposition  to  him  from  England,  p.  199. 

F.  Sermon  on  the  Divinity  of  Christ,  p.  199.     Review  of  it  in  tho  Spirit  of  th«  Pil- 
grims,  p.  199. 

G.  Sermons  on  Law  and  Regeneration,  pp.  199-201.     Germ  of  Emmonism,  p,  200. 
Character  of  tho  New  England  Calvinism,  at  t'.iat  period,  p.  201. 

H.  Work  on  Future  Punishment,  pp.  201-203.  Stylo  of  it,  p.  202.  Respect  of 
Hopkins's  opposers  for  his  personal  character,  p.  202. 

I.  Theological  System,  pp.  203-209.  Dedication  of  it,  pp.  203,  201.  Remarks  of 
Dr.  B'dwards  upon  it,  pp.  201-207.  Hopkins  represented  as  imaginative,  pp.  207,208. 
President  Larrgdon's  pamphlet  against  Hopkins's  System,  p.  209. 

J.  J>ialogue  on  Disinterested  Submission,  pp.  209-212.  Its  Calviuistic  spirit,  pp. 
209,  210.  Hopkins's  mode  of  preaching  on  this  topic,  pp.  210,  211.  Dr.  Channing^ 
remarks  on  Hopkins's  theory  of  Disinterested  Submission,  pp.  211,  212. 

K.  Volume  of  Sermons,  p.  212.  Invincible  ignorance  excuses  R  transgressor,  p.  212, 
Divine  decrees  and  human  liberty,  p.  212. 

L.    Writings  on  Slavery,  p.  213. 

M.  Biographical  Writings,  pp.  213-215.  Importance  of  Hopkins'i  Memoir  of  Ed 
wards,  pp.  213,  214.  Resemblance  between  Hopkins  and  Edwards,  pp.  213,  214. 

N.   Editorial  Labors,  pp.  215-220.     Hopkins'i  account  of  Edwards'i  manuscripts, 

a9 


O  CONTEIiTS. 

pp.  515,  21T).  Ilopkmi'i  opinion*  on  Oriffinal  Sin,  pp.  216,  217.  DiieoarapeaenU  la 
editing  ike  Worki  of  Edwards,  p.  217.  Ivdwonls's  Treatise  on  the  Nature  of  Virtue, 
pp.  218,  219.  Relation  of  Hopkins  to  Edwards,  and  eouipariton  beiwcen  tbcm,  pp. 
219,  220. 

O.    Rfitccllanenu  Essays,  pp.  220-1*22.    Comment  on  Galnliani  iv.  12,  pp.  221,222. 

P.  KnropfaH  Correspondence,  pp.  222-2*8.  Letters  in  regard  to  Abrnham  Booth** 
writing,  pp.  222,  223.  Andrew  Fuller's  controversial  correspondence  with  Hopkins, 
pp.  223-227.  Fuller's  opinion  of  Hopkins,  pp.  22i,  227.  Epistolary  intercourse  whb 
Dr.  Hylnnd,  pp.  227,  220.  Kyland's  opinion  of  tho  American  divines,  pp.  227,  220. 

Q.  Horn*  Corrr*pondfnct  on  Theology,  pp.  2!ift-231.  Letter  to  Prc»id«nl  David, 
pp.  CCa-231. 

R.    Collected  Works,  p.  131. 

SI:CT.  XLV.  Hopkins'i  Confidence  in  Ma  Theological  System,  pp.  231-253. 
His  catholic-ism,  pp.  231,  232.  His  farewell  to  tho  world,  p.  232.  Dedication 
of  his  Treatise  on  tho  Millennium,  pp.  232,  233. 

SF.CT.  XLVI.  Testimoniet  in  Favor  of  Hopkins,  and  of  hit  Thcoloyy,  pp.  233- 
238.  Pecuniary  :lonutiou  to  Mm,  pp.  233,  234.  Transatlantic  reputation,  p. 
234.  Respect  of  his  antagonists  for  him,  pp.  234,  235.  Progress  of  his  opin 
ions,  pp.  236,  237.  Letter  to  Andrew  Fuller,  pp.  236-238.  Hopkins' B  opinion 
of  Dr.  Dwiglxt,  p.  235. 

SV.CT.  XLV1I.  Familiar  Conferences,  pp.  238-210.  Social  character  of  Dr. 
IIopkiiiH,  pp.  238,  239.  Order. of  tho  Christian  graces,  p,  239.  Prayer  in  view 
of  God's  immutability,  pp.  239,  240. 

SKCT.  XLVIII.  Household  Life  at  Newport,  pp.  240-215.  Death  of  his  first 
wife,  p.  2-10.  Life  and  character  of  his  second  wife,  pp.  210,  241.  Study 
chamber,  pp.  241,  242.  Regular  habits,  pp.  242-215.  Poverty,  p.  243.  Per- 
Bonul  appearance  in  his  old  ago,  p.  214.  Two  portraits,  p.  244. 

SKCT.  XLIX.  Shock  of  Paralysis ;  Itcfaotiotis ;  Mf- Examination,  pp.  245- 
2o2.  Submission  to  tlio  divine  will,  pp.  245,  24G.  Examination  of  himself, 
pp.  24G,  247.  Signa  in  favor  of  his  Christian  character,  pp.  248-250.  Feel- 
iugs  in  view  of  Kin,  p.  248  ;  —  of  Christ,  pp.  248,  249.  Iteligious  Discourage 
ments,  pp.  250-252. 

SKCT.  L.  reaching  after  his  J'aru/yju,  p.  252.  His  perseverance,  —  New 
port  Gardner,  p.  252. 

SK.CT.  I»I.  ]*crscivr<inro  in  his  old  Friendships,  especially  to  the  Edward*  Fam~ 
ily,  pp.  252-259.  Hopkins  not  a  mere  metaphysician,  pp.  252,  253.  Letter  to 
Rev.  Mr.  Judd,  pp.  252,  253.  Sketch  00 Madam  Edwards'a  character,  pp.  254 
-250.  Sketch  of  Mrs.  liurr's  character,  pp.  250,  257.  Letter  to  Aaron  Uurr, 
pp.  257-259. 

SKCT.  LIT.  Ilcvival  of  Religion,  p.  259.  Tho  ministerial  life  of  Hopkins  be 
gan  and  ended  in  a  revival,  p.  259. 

SKCT.  LIII.    Death,  pp.  2GO,  2G1.    Its  calmness  and  triumph,  pp.  260,  261. 

SKCT.  LIV.     Funeral,  Crave,  pp.  201,  2C2. 

SKCT*  LV.  Ke-intcrment ;  Monument  at  (treat  Barringto*,  pp.  203-264.  Re 
flection*  of  future  visitors  at  hU  grave,  p.  203.  Monument  at  Great  Barring- 
ton,  p.  264. 

APPENDIX,  .  .  ...  .       S65 


CONTENTS. 


v' 

SYSTEM  OF  DOCTRINES. 

Preface, 1 

CHAPTER   I. 

DIVINE  REVELATION,  .  .  .          .  6 

Reflections, 27 

CHAPTER  II. 

TUB   BEING   AND   PERFECTIONS   OP   OOD.    .  .      '     .  SO 

Reflections 57 

*     CHAPTER  III. 

THB  VNITT  OF  OOD,   AND  TUB  TRINITY.    .  .  .  01 

CHAPTER  IV. 

TUB  DECUKK8   OF   OOD 67 

Improvement, 140 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE   CREATION   OF  THE   WORLD,    PARTICULARLY   OF  MAN.  .      161 

Improvement, 161 

CHAPTER  VI. 

DIVINB   PROVIDENCE   IN   OENKRAL.  .  .  .164 

Improvement, 167 

/ 

CHAPTER  VII.  f 

/ 

T1IR    PROVIDENCB    OF    OOD,  AS  IT  RESPECTS    MORAL    AGENTS,    ANOBL8,  AND 

MEN /          .  .     160 

Srcr.  I.    Divino  Providonoo,  as  it  respects  tho  Angcb,       ,        .        .  169 
II.    Tho  Providence  of  God,  a*  it  respects  Man  in  a  State  of  Inno- 

ccncy 176 

Improvement,       .........  203 

CHAPTER  VHI. 

TUB  APOSTASY  OF   MAN,   AND  TUB  BVIL  CON8BQT7BNOB  TO  HIM.       .     206 

Improvement, 242 


0  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

OKNP.IUL  OBSERVATIONS  OX  TUB  REDEMPTION  OP  MAN.    .          .     246 

Improvement, 260 

CHAPTER  X. 

TUB  rr.iwoN  AND  CHARACTER  OP  THE  REDEEMER.       .        .   265 
Improvement 312 

CHAPTER  XI. 

TUB  DESIGN   AND  WORK  OF  TUB  REDEEMER.     .          .          .319 

Improvement, 358 

CHAPTER  XIL 

TUB   APPLICATION  OP   REDEMPTION.         ...  363 

Srcr.  I.    On  tho  Application  of  Redemption  in  general,         .        .       .    3G3 
II.    On  Regeneration, 367 

III.  Conversion, v.        .        .374 

IV.  Disinterested  Affection, 378 

Improvement, 388 

V,  Divine  Illumination 399 

Improvement,    . 417 

CHAPTER  Xm. 

SAVING  FAITH 421 

SECT.  I.    Saving  Faith 421 

Improvement, 452 

II.    Justification  by  Faith  in  Christ, 457 

Improvement, 482 

HI.    Tho  Covenantor  Grace, 480 

Improvement,        .         ........  495 

rv .    Manner  of  tho  Dispensation  of  tho  Covenant  of  Grace,  and  tho 

Preaching  of  tho  Gospol,    .        .        .  •    .        .        .        .  49(5 

V.    All  true  llrliovers  do  persevere  in  Faith  and  Holiness,  to  the 

End  of  Life,  and  will  bo  saved 511 

Improvement,    .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .        .        .518 

VI.  Tho  Hcliever'i  Assurance  of  Salvation,         .        .        .        ,  519 
Improvement 529 


MEMOIR. 


Tun  biography  of  a  pioneer  leaches  some  useful  lessons.  If,  in 
despite  of  all  obstacles,  lie  liavc  achieved  good  results,  ho  stimulates 
to  better  deeds  men  who  have  better  advantages.  His  life  may  illus 
trate  the  hardy  and  practieal  virtues.  Failing  to  gratify  the  taste,  it 
may  invigorate  the  resolution.  Hopkins  made  his  Memoir  of  Ed 
wards  not  so  much  a  work  "  of  friendship  for  the  dead  as  of  kind 
ness  to  the  living  ;  "  and  the  present  Memoir  of  Hopkins  is  ««  only 
an  attempt  to  render  a  life  that  has  been  greatly  useful  yet  more  so."  * 

SKCT.  I.    FAMILY  AND   BIRTH. 

The  name  of  Hopkins  has  been  highly  honored  among  the  Puri 
tans  of  New  England.  Stephen  Hopkins  came  to  Plymouth,  Mas 
sachusetts,  in  I  (WO,  a  passenger  in  the  Mayflower.  Edward  Hopkins, 
governor  of  Connecticut,  and  u  benefactor  of  Harvard  College, 
arrived  at  Huston,  Massachusetts,  with  Mr.  Davenport,  in  KJ37. 

I.  John  Hopkins,  (who  is  conjectured  by  some  to  have  been  n  rela 
tive  of  the  two  named  above,)  the  ancestor  of  the  theologian,  settled  at 
Cambridge  in  KJlU,  was  admitted  freeman  in  UK  15,  and   removed  to 
Hartford,  Connecticut,  in  1(*M).     He  died  in  1654,  leaving  n  widow, 
Jane,  and  two  children,  Stephen  and  licthia. 

II.  N/r/j/fr/j  Hopkins,  only  son  of  John,  married  Dorcas  Bronson, 
daughter  of  John  llronson,  of  Farmington,  and  resided  at  Hartford, 
Connecticut.      He  died  in  KM),  and  his  widow  in  1(107.     He  names 
in   his  will   six  children,   vi/.,  John,  Stephen,   (who  married  Surah 
Judd,  November  IT,  HW>,)  Ebcne/er,  Joseph,  Dorcas,  (who  married 
Jonathan  AVcbster,  May  II,  KHI,)  and  Mary  Hopkins. 

III.  John   Hopkins,   [eldest]  son  of  Stephen,  of  Hartford,  settled 
in  Waterbury,  Connecticut,  where  he  died  November  4,  17)W.     His 
wife  died  .May  *VJ,  17:10.      Their  children  were  John,  born  March  29, 

*  Preface  to  Honkins's  Life  of  IMwariU. 


10  MEMOIR. 

WSO;  Consider,  born  November  10,  lf>87;  Stephen,  born  November 
ID,  1GS9  ;  Timothy,  born  November  1(>,  1091  ;  Samuel,  born  De 
cember  27,  H5M  ;  Mary,  born  January  27,  10!K>-7;  Hannah,  born 
April  2:),  HIW  ;  Dorcas,  born  February  12,  1700.  Samuel,  tbe  fifth 
son,  became  an  exemplary  minister  of  the  gospel,  lie  was  gradu 
ated  at  Yale  College  in  171H,  was  ordained  at  West  Springfield  iu 
1720.  lie  died  in  17.V5.  In  175H,  be  published  u  volume,  entitled 
44  Historical  Memoirs  relating  to  the  Ilousatunnuk  Indians,  or  nn 
Account  of  the  Methods  used  and  Pains  taken  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  (Jospel  among  that  heathenish  Tribe,  and  the  Success  thereof, 
under  the  Ministry  of  the  late  Rev.  Mr.  John  Sergeant  ;  together 
with  the  Character  of  that  eminently  worthy  Missionary  ;  and  an 
Address  to  the  People  of  this  Country,  representing  the  very  great 
Importance  of  attaching  the  Indians  to  their  Interest,  not  only  by 
treating  them  kindly,  but  by  using  proper  Endeavors  to  .settle  Chris 
tianity  among  them."  He  was  an  uncle  of  the  subject  of  this 
Memoir,  and  seems  to  have  had  considerable  influence  in  directing 
the  sympathies  of  his  nephew  towards  our  aboriginal  tribes.  He 
married  a  sister  of  "President  Kdwards  ;  one  of  his  daughters  became 
the  wile  of  John  Worthington,  LL.  I).,  of  Springfield,  Massachusetts  ; 
and  one  of  his  granddaughters  became  tin;  wife  of  Fisher  Ames. 
He  was  the  father  of  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  I).  I).,  ot'  Iladley,  Mas 
sachusetts,  fix;  of  whose  daughters  were  married  to  the  five  follow 
ing  clergymen  :  Dr.  Kmmons,  of  Franklin  ;  Dr.  Spring,  of  New- 
huryport  ;  Dr.  Austin,  of  Worcester  ;  Rev.  William  Riddel,  nettled 
first  in  Itristnl,  Maine,  afterwards  in  Whitingham,  Vermont  ;  and 
Ilev.  Leonard  Worcester,  of  Peacham,  Vermont.  These  live?  divines, 
all  of  them  clear  thinkers,  were  all  firm  disciples  of  the  subject  of 
this  Memoir,  who  was  the  cousin  of  their  father-in-law.  Their 
wives,  also,  were  intelligent  theologians  of  the  Hopkinsian  school. 
Few  men  could  cope  with  them  in  an  argument.  (It  ought  to  he 
mentioned,  however,  that  Mrs.  Fmmons,  although  educated  by  Dr. 
Hopkins,  of  Hadley,  was  his  step-daughter  only.  She  was  very 
young  when  her  mother  was  married  to  Dr.  Hopkins,  who  succeeded 
her  first  husband  in  the  ministry  at  Iladley.  On  the  other  hand, 
Dr.  H.  had  another  own  daughter,  married  to  a  gentleman  who,  at 
the  time,  of  his  marriage,  was  prepared  ami  expecting  to  preach  the 
gospel  ;  hut  ill  health  prevented  his  doing  so  inure  than  u  few  times.) 
Stephen,  the  third  son  of  John  Hopkins,  and  another  uncle  of  the 
theologian,  was  the  grandfather  of  Dr.  Lemuel  Hopkins,  who  was  a 
distinguished  physician  of  Litehlield  and  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
was  associated  with  Trumbull,  liarlow,  Alsop,  Theodore  Dwight, 
and  others,  (called  the  "Iliirtfonl  wits,")  in  the  Anarchiad,  the 
F.cho,  Political  (ireenhouse,  the  (inillotine,  and  similar  satirical  com 
positions.  He  was  a  poet,  and  is  said  by  Proident  Allen  to  have  writ 
ten  for  liarlow  the  celebrated  version  of  Psalm  cx.xxvii.,  "Along  the 


MEMOIR.  11 

banks  where  Babel's  current  flows,"  etc.  —  lion,  Samuel  Miles 
Hopkins,  LL.  D.,  of  Geneva,  New  York,  was  a  great-grandson  of 
the  same  Stephen  Hopkins. 

IV.  Timothy  Hopkins,  the  [fourth]  son  of  John,  of  Waterbury, 
married  Mary  Judd,  daughter  of  Deacon  Thomas  .Tudd,  of  Water- 
bury,  .lime  2.">,  J711K  He  died  in  Waterbury,  February  5,  1718-9, 
aged  57.  Their  children  were  Rainucl,  the  subject  of  this  Memoir  ; 
Timotby,  born  September  8,  1723,  who  left  two  children  ;  Huldah, 
born  December  22,  172.">,  who  married  Abijah  Richards,  and  left 
eight  children;  Hannah,  born  April  11,  172H,  who  married  Thomas 
Upson,  and  left  three  children;  Sarah,  bonr  May  2.">,  1,730,  who 
married  Timothy  Clark,  and  left  one  child  ;  James,  born-  June  2(>, 
1732;  Daniel,  born  October  10,  1731;  Mary,  born  Jane  27,  1737, 
who  married  John  Copet,  and  left  one  child  ;  Mark,  born  September 
IS,  1731). 

John  Hopkins,  the  grandfather  of  the  divine,  who  is  called  on  the 
town  record  Lieutenant  Hopkins,  was  often  a  representative  to  the 
legislature,  from  Waterbnry,  between  1710  and  1"2(J.  Timothy,  the 
father  of  the  divine,  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  also,  from  1727 
until  his  death,  was  frequently  the  town's  representative.  Throughout 
the  last  century,  the  family  of  Hopkins  was  one  of  the  most  respec 
table  and  inlluential  in  Waterbury.  Dr.  Samuel  Spring  says,  that  our 
theologian  "descended  from  worthy  parents,  of  family  distinction."* 
It  was  the  right  kind  of  parents,  and  thev  had  the  right  kind  of 
home  for  training  a  minister  of  the  gospel.  It  is  well  that  sfich  a 
man  be  nurtured  in  simplicity  of  habit,  above  the  insnaring  inlhience 
of  poverty  or  riches,  with  healthful  occupation,  amid  the  invigorat 
ing  and  pleasing  scenes  of  rural  life,  where  (iod  is  adored  as  the 
Father  of  the  house. 

Of  these  nine  children,  our  immediate  concern  is  with 


"  I  WMS  bora,"  lie  says,  "at  \Vaterbury,  ia  Connecticut,  on  the  Lord's  day, 
September  17,  l/'.M.  .My  parents  \»e  re  professors  of  religion;  nnd  1  deseend- 
ed  from  Cliristina'nurestors,  both  by  my  father  nnd  my  mother,  as  f;ir  back 
an  I  have  been  able  to  trice  mv  descent.  1  conclude  1  iiad  mv  ancestors  de 
scended  from  those  called  1'uritttn*,  in  the  days  of  Queen  I'ili/.n  belli,  above 
two  hundred  years  «gt»,  nnd  have  continued  to  bear  that  denomination  since, 
nud  were  the  |'n>t  settlers  of  Nc\v  Kaglaad.  'J'his  I  have  considered  to  be 
the  most  honorable  and  happy  de.-cent,  to  spring  from  ancestors  who  have- 
been  professors  of  religion,  without  interruption,  during  llie  course  of  two  hun 
dred  years  nnd  more;  ami  many  of  them,  if  not  all,  real  CVimfmN*.  And  I 
have  considered  it  as  a  favor  that  1  was  born  on  the  Sabbath,  nnd  was  perhaps 
publicly  dedicated  to  Christ  by  baptism  on  the  day  in  which  1  was  born;  and 
if  not,  certainly  soon  nlVr.  —  AH  HUOII  as  I  was  capable  of  understanding 
and  attending  to  it,  I  was  told  that  my  falhcr,  when  he  was  informed  that  hn 
had  a  son  born  to  him,  said,  if  tin?  child  should  live,  h"  would  give  him  a  pub 
lic  education,  that  he  miyht  be  ti  minister  or  a  Sabbath-day  man,  alluding  to 
my  being  born  on  th..1  Sabbath.  —  I  was  the  first  child  of  my  parents  that 

*<Masi.  Miisioanry  Mngiv/.iae,  vol.  i.  p.  3T»1. 


12  MEMOIR. 

lived.  They  had  one  before,  which  was  not  alivo  when  born,  or  died  as  soon 
as  born.  My  mother  was  twenty  yeans  old  when  I  was  born,  and  my  father 
thirty."  * 

Hopkins  was  only  two  years  nml  seven  months  younger  than  Dr. 
Bellamy,  eighteen  years  younger  than  President  Edwards,  and  fif 
teen  years  older  than  Dr.  Stephen  West,  his  three  most  intimate 
friends. 

SKCT.  II.    CHILDHOOD. 
Dr.  Hopkins  continues  his  Autobiography  with  remarking : 

"  I  havo  considered  it  as  a  grout  fuvor  of  (iod  that  I  wns  born  end  edu 
cated  in  a  religious  family,  nnd  among  a  people  in  a  country  town,  where-  a 
regard  to  religion  and  morality  was  common  and  prevalent,  and  the  education 
of  children  nnd  youth  wan  generally  practised  in  such  a  degree  that  young 
people  were  generally  orderly  in  their  behavior,  and  abstained  from  those 
open  vices  which  were  then  too  common  in  seaport  and  populous  places.  I 
do  not  recollect  that  1  ever  heard  n  profane  -word  from  the  children  nnd  youth 
with  whom  I  was  conversant,  while  I  lived  with  my  parents,  which  was  till  I 
was  in  my  fifteenth  year. —  I  from  my  youth  was  not  volatile  and  wild,  hut 
rather  of  a  sober  and  steady  make,  and  was  not  guilty  of  external  irregular 
ities,  such  aw  disobedience  to  parents,  profanation  of  the  Sabbath,  lying,  fool 
ish  jesting, quarrelling,  passion  and  anger,  or  rash  and  profane  words,  and  was 
disposed  to  be  diligent  and  faithful  in  whatever  business  I  was  employed;  no 
that,  n.s  I  advanced  in  age,  I  gained  the  notice,  esteem,  and  respect  of  the 
neighborhood.  I  was,  in  general,  great lv  careless  about  all  invisible  things, 
but  was  often  plotting  for  something  which  then  .appeared  to  mo  good  and 
great  in  this  life,  and  often  indulged  and  pleased  myself  with  vain  and  foolish 
imaginations  of  what  I  should  be  and  do  in  this  world.  And  sometimes, 
though  rarely,  had  some  serious  thoughts  of  (iod,  and  about  my  soul  and  a 
future  world  of  happiness  and  misery.  And  I  once  had  a  dream  of  the  future 
judgment,  in  some  measure  agreeable  to  the  representation  made  of  it  by 
Christ  himself  in  the  twenty-lit'tli  chapter  of  Matthew,  I  dreamed  that  1  and 
a  brother  of  mine,  who  was  about  two  years  younger  than  me,  were  sentenced 
lo  everlasting  misery,  and  driven  <lo\\  n  to  hell,  with  the  rest  of  the  wicked. 
This  greatly  impressed  mv  mind  tor  a  long  time  after;  and  the  impression 
then  made  has  not  wholly  worn  on"  to  this  day.  —  As  my  lather  was  a  farmer, 
1  was  employed  in  laboring  on  the  farm,  with  which  business  I  was  phrased, 
and  made  proficiency  in  it.  1  \\as  frequently  told,  and  often  thought  of  the 
declaration  of  my  father  on  the  day  on  whieli  I  was  born,  Ihul  he  intidtl  lirin^ 
inr  itj>  /(>  ctiHt^c,  as  the  phrase  then  was  for  a  public  education.  Hut  I  felt  no 
particular  inclination  to  this,  but  was  rather  inclined  to  labor  on  a  farm.  Hut 
what  always  turned  my  mind  again.*!  going  to  college,  was  the  years  of  ab 
sence  from  my  parents  and  their  family  which  were  involved  in  it.  Such 
absence  was  intolerable  to  my  ehildi-'h  mind,  and  was  sulKcient  to  suppress  • 
the  thought,  of  going  to  learning.  —  Hut  in  the  winter  after  I  was  fourteen 
years  old,  I  retired  much  to  a  chamber  in  my  father's  house,  and  spent,  con 
siderable  time  in  reading,  especially  reading  the  Hible,  and  began  to  feel 
more  inclination  to  learning,  and  less  to  working  on  a  farm,  as  our  farming 
business  did  not  go  on  so  well  as  it  had  done,  by  reason  of  some  particular 
circumstances  which  had  taken  place.  \Yhen  my  father  perceived  this,  he 
told  me,  if  I  was  inclined  to  go  to  learning,  he  would  put  me  to  u  place  where 
I  might  be  fitted  for  the  college;  to  which  I  readily  consented.  Accordingly, 
I  was  put  under  the  care  ami  tuition  of  the  Key.  John  (iraham,  of  Woodbury, 

*  Sketches  of  the  Life  of  the  late  Ucv.  Samuel   Hopkins,  D.  I).,  pp.  23,  '21. 


MEMOIR.  13 

which  joined  west  on  Waterbury,  his  meeting-house  being  about  ten  miles 
from  my  father's  house.  Hero  I  fitted  for  college,  with  a  number  of  others, 
and  was  examined  and  admitted  a  member  of  college  in  September,  1737, 
being  sixteen  years  old  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  that  month.  * 

/ 
SECT.  III.    COLLEGE  LIFE,  AND  EARLY  RELIGIOUS  HISTORY. 

When  Mr.  Hopkins  entered  Yalo  College,  it  was  under  the  rec 
torship  of  Elinha  William*,  who,  according  to  President  Stiles.t 
"  was  a  good  classical  scholar,  well  versed  in  logic,  metaphysics, 
and  ethics,  and  in  rhetoric  and  oratory."  —  "He  was  a  man  of 
splendor !  "  Professor  Kingnley  thus  describes  the  course  of  study 
pursued  in  college  at  this  time : 

Logic  "claimed  the  principal  attention,  and  skill  in  syllogistic  disputation 
was  t.ho  chief  object  aimed  at.  Uurgersdicius,  Rnmus,  Cruckcnthorp,  and 
Keckermnn  were  the  great  lights  of  tho  time.  The  freshmen  woro  em 
ployed  the  first  four  days  of  the  week  on  Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew;  begin 
ning  logic  in  the  morning,  at  the  latter  end  of  tlin  year,  unless  the  tutors 
should  see  cause,  by  reason  of  their  ripeness  in  the  tongues,  to  read  logic  to 
them  sooner." — "  Logic  was  the  solo  study  of  the  first  four  days  of  tho  week 
during  the  second  year,  physics  the  third  year,  and  metaphysics  and  math 
ematics  the  fourth  year.  All  resident  bachelors  were  required  to  dispute 
svllogistieally  onco  a  week,  nnd  all  undergraduates,  aflor  they  began  to  read 
logic,  live  times  a  week.  Fridays  were  devoted,  in  all  tho  classes,  to  ethics, 
rhetoric,  and  the  theology  of  Vvollebius.  Ames's  Medulla  was  recited  on 
Saturday  mornings,  and  on  Saturday  evenings  the  Assembly's  Catechism  in 
Latin.  Kvory  Sunday  morning  there  was  on  exercise  in  Ames's  Coses  of 
Conscience.  At  the  beginning  of  every  recitation,  a  portion  of  tho  Hebrew 
Scriptures  was  read  by  the  class  into  Greek,  and  a  jwrtion  of  tho  New  Tes 
tament  from  Lntin  into  Greek,  except  in  the  freshman  class,  where  the  trans 
lation  of  the  New  Testament  into  Greek  wns  from  English.  Kvery  under 
graduate  was  required  to  declaim  once  in  two  months,  nnd  both  graduates 
nnd  undergraduates  committed  sermons  to  memory,  and  pronounced  them 
publicly  in  the  college  hall."| 

Hopkins  had  not  been  more  than  two  years  in  college  before 
Rector  Williams  was  succeeded  by  President  Clap,  who  was  emi 
nent  in  the  mathematics,  and  who  gave  to  this,  bis  favorite  study, 
a  more  prominent  place  in -the  system  of  college  instruction  than  / 

bad  been  given  to  it  previously.  It  is  easy  to  see  the  influence  of 
such  a  collrginto  course  upon  such  a  youth  as  Hopkins.  It  sharp 
ened  bis  reasoning  powers.  It  cultivated  his  taste  for  tho  abstract 
sciences.  It  fitted  him  to  be  a  metaphysical  divine.  It  did  not 
introduce  him  into  the  graces  of  English  style.  It  did  not  cherish  a 
love  to  the  bt'llcs-ft'ttrfS.  It  favored  originality  of  thought  inoro 
than  felicity  of  expression.  It  tended  to  make  him  a  "man  of  one 
book."  We  must  not  undervalue  this  contracted  system  of  college 
education.  As  it  bad  its  evils,  so  it  bad  its  advantages.  It  fastened 

*  Sketches,  etc.,  pp.  2J-27. 
f   MS.   Diary. 

{  Sketch  of  the  History  of  Yale  College,  in  Connecticut,  Quarterly  Register,  vol. 
viii.  p.  "lo. 

b 


14  MEMOIR. 

the  mind  of  the  thoughtful  student  upon  a  few  grent  principles,  und 
obliged  him  to  follow  them  out  patiently  and  watchfully  into  their 
obscurest  relations.  It  familiarized  him  with  the  fundamental  truths 
of  moral,  the  most  important  science,  and  these  truths  are  like  the 
law^  of  the  universe,  as  extensive  in  their  application  as  they  are 
limited  in  numher.  It  did  not  make  accomplished  scholars,  hut  it 
made  profound  philosophers.  It  did  not  lead  so  rrtany  into  various 
learning  as  into  deep  thinking.  "That  old  system,"  says  President 
Woolscy,  "  in  which  dry  logic  formed  the  staple,  is  not  to  he  de 
spised  ;  for  by  it  some  of  New  England's  best  minds  were  formed. 
It  is  remarkable  that  nearly  all  the  fathers  and  choir-leaders  of 
what  may  technically  be  called  Ne\v  England  theology  came  from 
this  college.  Men  like  Jonathan  Edwards,  liellamy,  Hopkins,  West, 
Smallcy,  and  Emmons, —  graduates  of  the  years  between  1120  and 
1770,  —  do  not  proceed  from  cloistered  retirements,; ''where  the  mind 
is  wholly  asleep  and  afraid  to  think.  And  whether  we  admit  their 
conclusions  or  not,  we  must  admit  that  they  are  close  consecutive 
rcasoners,  always  in  earnest,  who  take  broad  views  of  the  divine 
government  over  the  universe,  and  cover  up  deep  religious  emotions 
under  logical  forms." — "On  the  other  hand,  an  effect  of  the  modern 
system  of  education,  or  of  society,  or  of  both,  is  to  repress  original 
ity  of  thinking,  to  destroy  individual  peculiarities,  and  to  produce  a 
general  sameness  among  those  who  are  educated."* 

In  his  Autobiography,  Dr.  Hopkins  has  nearly  overlooked  bin 
intellectual  habits  at  Yale,  and  says,  in  n  manner  equally  honest  und 
unassuming : 

"While  a  member  of  the  college,  I  believe  I  hud  the  character  of  a  sober, 

studious  youth,  and  of  a  bettor  scholar  than  the  bigger  half  of  the  members  of 

that  society,  find  had  the  approbation  of  the;  governors  of  the  college.     I  nvoid- 

.  cd  the  intimacy  und  the  company  of  the  openly  vicious,  and,  indeed,  kept  but 

little  company,  being  attentive  to  my  studies."  f 

1  This  is  certainly  a  modest  statement  of  a  man  who  was  distin- 
,  guishcd  in  a  class  of  twenty,  among  whom  were  Richard  Mansfield, 
1).  1).,  of  Derby,  Connecticut ;  Samuel  Huell,  1).  1).,  the  famous  pul 
pit  orator,  of  Enstlmmpton,  Long  Island;  James  Sproat,  D.  I).,  of 
Philadelphia;  Noah  Wells,  D.  1).,  of  Stamford,  Connecticut ;  William 
Livingston,  LL.  1).,  governor  of  New  Jersey  ;  Hon.  Jabe/.  Hunting- 
ton,  of  Norwich,  Connecticut.  But  he  was  more  interested  in  I. is 
religious  than  his  intellectual  history;  and  to  that  let  us  now  proceed. 

"In  the  eighteenth  or  nineteenth  year  of  my  age,"  ho  ways,  "I  cannot  now 
certainly  determine  which,  I  made  a  profession  of  religion,  and  joined  tho 
church  to  \vhirh  my  parents  belonged,  in  Watcrbnrv.  I  was  serious,  and  was 
thought  to  be  a  pious  youth,  and  1  had  this  thought  and  hope  of  myself.  I 
was  constant  in  reading  the  Bible,  and  in  attending  on  public  and  secret  reli- 

*  An  Historical  Discourse,  pronounced  before  the.  graduates  of  Yulo  College.,  Au 
gust  11,  l!l«r>0,  by  Theodore  D.  \Voolsey,  President  of  Ynlc  College,  j>|>.  Gil,  Cl. 
t  Sketches,  etc.,  p.  '21. 


MEMOIR.  15 

gion.  And  sometimes  at  night,  in  my  retirement  and  devotion,  when  I  thought 
of  confessing  the  sins  I  had  been  guilty  of  that  day,  and  asking  pardon,  1 
could  not  recollect  that  I  had  committed  one  sin  that  day.  Thus  ignorant 
was  I  of  my  own  heart,  and  of  the  spirituality,  strictness,  and  extent  of  the 
divine  law!  In  this  time  I  was  at  home,  in  a  vacancy  at  college;  and  several 
mon,  who  were  gross  Arminians,  entered  into  a  dispute  with  mo  about  doc 
trines  and  religion.  I  was  in  theory  a  Calvinist,  ana  attempted  to  defend  that 
scheme  of  doctrines,  in  opposition  to  them.  In  these  we  could  not  agree. 
But  when  we  came  to  talk  of  practical  religion,  and  of  conversion,  I  agreed 
with  them,  allowing  it  to  consist  chiefly  in  externals,  overlooking  the  real  and 
tot'il  depravity  of  the  heart,  and  the  renovation  and  great  change  which  must 
take  place  in  that,  in  order  to  true  conversion  and  tho  exercise  of  real  religion, 
having  never  experienced  any  thing  of  this  kind.  My  mother  heard  the  con 
versation  ;  and  after  the  company  was  gone,  she  told  me  she  was  surprised  to 
hoar  me  agree  with  them  in  their  notion  of  conversion,  and  that  I  should 
think  real  conversion  was  no  more  than  that  which  I  and  they  had  described. 
This  put  mo  upon  thinking,  and  raised  a  suspicion  in  my  own  mind  that  I  was 
a  stranger  to  real  conversion.  But  it  wore  ofl',  without  any  abiding  conviction 
of  my  deficiency.  —  From  this  experience  of  mine,  I  have  been  led  to  fear, 
and,  in  many  instances,  to  conclude  persons  to  be  strangers  to  true  conver 
sion,  who  appear  to  have  the  same  or  no  better  notion  of  it  than  I  then  had, 
anil  talk  much  us  I  did  on  that  head,  whilo  they  profess  to  believe  Calvinistio 
doctriliOH,  though  they  choose  to  bo  considered  as  moderate  Culvinistx.  There 
are  many  of  tin's  sort  of  professing  Christians,  with  whom  I  have  been  ac 
quainted.*  When  persons  build  upon  such  a  false  foundation,  and  set  out  in 
religion,  and  think  themselves  Christians,  without  being  born  of  God,  and  con 
tinue  strangers  to  a  true  and  sound  conversion,  they  will  be  inclined  to  oppose 
or  slight  the  most  important  and  excellent  exercises  of  experimental  religion, 
and  will  be  dry  and  fruitless  .Christians,  and  ignorant  of  true  religious  affec 
tions  and  enjoyments;  And  it  will  be  no  wonder  if  they  lose  all  their  zeal 
fur  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  and  grow  indifferent  about  them,  if 
they  do  not  gradually  give  them  up,  and  renounce  them. 

'•While  1  was  in  this  state  and  situation  of  mind,  Mr.  Whitefield  came  into 
New  England,  and,  after  he  had  preached  in  Boston  and  other  places,. came 
to  New  Haven,  in  his  way  to  New  York.  The  attention  of  people  in  general 
was  greatly  awakened  upon  hearing  tho  fame  of  him,  Unit  there  was  a  remark 
able  preacher  from  England  travelling  through  the  country.  The  people 
Hocked  to  hear  him,  when  he  came  to  New  Haven.  Some  travelled  twenty 
miles  oiit  of  the  country  to  hear  him.  Tho  assemblies  were  crowded  and  re 
markably  attentive ;  ami  people  appeared  generally  to  approve,  and  their  con 
versation  turned  chictly  about  him  and  his  preaching.  Some  disapproved  of 
several  things  which  he  advanced,  which  occasioned  considerable  dispute.  I 
heard  him  when  he  preached  in  public,  and  when  he  expounded  in  private  in 
Uie  evening,  and  highly  approved  of  him,  and  was  somewhat  impressed  by 
wh;it  he  said  in  public  and  in  private,  but  did  not  in  the  least  call  in  question 
my  own  good  estate,  that  I  remember.  He  preached  against  mixed  dancing 
and  frolicking  of  males  aiul  females  together;  which  practice  was  Uien  very 
common  in  New  England.  This  offended  some,  especially  young  people. 
But  I  remember  I  justified  him  in  this  in  mv  own  mind,  and  in  conversation 
with  those  who  were  disposed  to  condemn  him.  This  was  in  October,  17-10, 
when  I  had  entered  on  my  last  year  in  college.  —  During  that  fall  and  Uic 
succeeding  winter,  Uierc  appeared  to  be  much  more  attention  to  religion  than 
before  among  people  in  general ;  and  a  number  of  ministers  in  New  England 

*  And  tlicro  woro  many  more  with  whom  ho  afterwards  oecamo  acquainted.  A  great 
par',  of  liis  life  was  spent  ii>  controversy  with  "moderate  Calvinists,"  one  cla  s  of  whom 
he  began  to  oppose  thus  early.  He  effected  more,  perhaps,  than  any  olh^.  man,  save 
one,  in  raising  tho  churches  of  New  Kngland  abovo  thi»  "  moderate  Calvinism."  Does 
he  not,  therefore,  merit  the  gratitude  of  all  who  lovo  a  high  orthodoxy  7 


16  MEMOIft. 

were  aroused,  and  preached  oftencr  than  they  had  done,  and  appeared  much 
more  engaged  and  zealous  than  before;  and  several  came  to  New  Haven,  and 
preached  in  a  manner  BO  different  from  what  had  been  usual,  that  people  in 
general  appeared  to  bo  in  some  measure  awakened,  and  more  thoughtful  on 
religious  subjects  than  they  had  been  before.  —  Early  in  the  next  spring,  in 
March,  Mr.  (jilbcrt  Tcnnent,  who  had  been  itinerating  in  New  England,  in 
Boston  and  other  places  in  the  winter,  came  to  New  Haven  from  Boston,  in 
his  way  to  the  southward.  Ho  was  a  remarkably  plain  and  ronfling  preacher,^ 
and  a  runmrknblo  awakening  had  been  produced  by  Inn  preaching,  and  many 
hopeful  conversions  had  taken  place  under  his  preaching,  where  he  had  itin 
erated.  On  his  coming  to  New  Haven,  the  people  appeared  to  be  almost  uni 
versally  aroused,  and  Hocked  to  hear  him.  He  staid  about  a  week  in  New 
Haven,  and  preached  seventeen  sermons,  most  of  them  in  the  meeting-house, 
two  or  three  in  the  college  hall.  His  preaching  appeared  to  bo  attended  with 
a  romarkahlo  and  mighty  power.  Thousands,  I  believe,  were  awakened;  nnd 
many  cried  out  with  distress  and  horror  of  mind,  under  a  conviction  of  God's 
anger,  and  their  constant  exposedness  to  fall  into  endless  destruction.  Many 
professors  of  religion  received  conviction  that  they  were  not  real  Christians, 
and  never  were  born  again ;  which  numbers  publicly  confessed,  and  put  up 
notes,  without  mentioning  their  names,  but  their  number,  desiring  prayers  for 
them  as  unconverted,  and  under  this  conviction.  The  members  of  college 
appeared  to  bo  universally  awakened.  A  small  number  thought  themselves 
Christians  before  they  came  to  college,  and  I  believe  were  no.  Several  of 
these  appeared  with  an  extraordinary  y.oal  and  concern  for  the  members  of 
college;  and,  without  paying  regard  to  the  distinctions  of  higher  and  lower 
classes,  they  visited  every  room  in  college,  nnd  discoursed  freely  and  with 
the  greatest  plainness  with  each  one;  especially  such  whom  they  considered 
to  be  in  an  unconverted  state,  and  who  acknowledged  themselves  to  be  so, 
setting  before  them  their  danger,  and  exhorting  (hern  to  repent,  &c.  The 
consciences  of  all  ycemed  to  bo  so  far  awakened  ns  to  lead  them  to  hang  their 
heads,  and  to  pay  at  least  a  silent  regard  to  their  reprovers.  And  every  per 
son  in  the  college  appeared  to  be  undo/  a  degree  ol  awakening  and  convic 
tion.  The  persons  nlwvo  mentioned,  who  thus  distinguished  themselves  in 
7.eal,  were,  two  of  them,  my  classmates,  Buoll  and  Young*.*  The  other  wit* 
David  Brainerd.  I  attended  to  the  whole,  and  approved  of  all  they  said  and 
did,  but  retained  my  hope  that  I  was  a  Christian,  and  had  little  or  no  conver 
sation  with  these  zealous  men.  At  length  Brainerd  came  into  my  room,  I 
being  there  alone.  I  wns  not  at  a  loss  with  respect  to  his  design  in  making 
rne  a  visit  then,  determining  that  he  came  to  satisfy  himself  whether  I  were 
a  Christian  or  not.  And  I  resolved  to  keep  him  in  the  dark,  and,  if  possible, 
prevent  his  getting  any  knowledge  of  my  state  or  religion.  I  was  therefore 
wholly  on  the  reserve,  being  conscious  that  I  had  no  religious  experiences,  or 
religions  nllections  to  tell  of.  In  his  conversation  with  me,  he  observed  that 
ho  believed  it  impossible  for  a  person  to  be  converted,  and  to  be  a  real  Chris- 
tin  n,  without  fooling  his  heart,  at  some  times  at  least,  sensibly  and  greatly  af 
fected  with  the  character  of  Christ,  and  strongly  going  out  after  him,  or  to 
that,  purpose.  This  observation  struck  conviction  into  my  mind.  I  verily  be 
lieved  it  to  be  true,  nnd  at  the  same  time  was  conscious  that  I  had  never  ex 
perienced  nny  thing  of  this  kind,  and  that  I  was  a  stranger  to  the  exercise  of 
real  Christianity.  I  then  determined  that  no  one  should  know,  from  me,  or 
any  other  wny,  if  T  could  prevent  it,  that  I  was  not  a  Christian,  until  1  should 
be  converted ;  for  it  was  mortifying  to  my  pride  to  be  thought  to  be  no  Chris 
tian,  having  made  a  Christian  profession,  and  having  had  the  character  of  a 

*  Ilnell  wns  nl  tliU  time  nl>ont  twenty-five  yours  of  npc,  nnd  in  loss  tlinn  n  y«'»r 
from  tliis  time,  —  in  less  than  five  months  after  his  graduation, —  ho  was  prenching  for  Mr. 
Edwards  at  Northampton,  with  wonderful  effect.  Hopkins  wns  in -his  twentieth  year; 
ycl  ho  seems  to  have  resisted  the  influence  of  his  older  classmate,  ond  to  have  yielded 
to  the  persuasive  accents  of  Brwinevl  only. 


MEMOIR.  17 

Christian  for  some  time,  though  I  now  knew  myself  not  to  be  one.    Brainerd 


"  My  conviction  fixed  upon  me.  I  saw  I  was  indeed  no  Christian.  The 
evil  ot  my  heart,  the  hardness  and  unbelief  of  it,  came  more  and  more  into 
view,  and  the  evil  case  in  which  I  was  appeared  more  and  more  dreadful.  I 
felt  myself  a  guilty,  justly  condemned  creature,  and  my  hope  of  relief  by  ob- 
^lining  conversion  failed  more  and  more,  and  my  condition  appeared  darker 
from  day  to  day,  and  all  help  failed,  and  I  folt  myself  to  be  nothing  but  igno 
rance,  guilt,  and  stupidity.  I  now  lost  all  desire  to  conceal  my  case  from 
those  whom  I  considered  to  be  Christians,  and  freely  opened  it  to  some  of 
them.  They  appeared  particularly  to  interest  themselves  in  my  condition, 
and  often  conversed  with  me,  and  asked  mo  if  I  had  any  new  views,  &c.  I 
constantly  told  them  I  was  still  the  same,  in  an  unconverted  state,  (fee.  Thus 
I  continued  for  some  weeks,  generally  retired,  unions  when  I  attended  private 
meetings  of  young  people,  for  prayer,  &c.,  which  were  frequent  then  in  col 
lege,  and  in  the  town.  — At  length,  as  I  was  in  my  closet  one  evening,  while 
I  WOH  meditating,  and  in  my  devotions,  a  new  and  wonderful  scene  opened  to 
my  view.  I  had  a  sense  of  the  being  and  presence  of  God  as  I  never  had 
before ;  it  being  more  of  a  reality,  and  more  affecting  and  glorious,  than  I 
had  ever  before  perceived.  And  the  character  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Mediator, 
came  into  view,  and  appeared  such  a  reality,  and  so  glorious,  and  the  way  of 
salvation  by  him  so  wise,  important,  and  detiinible,  that  I  was  astonished  at 
myself  that  I  had  never  seen  these  things  before,  which  were  so  plain,  pleas 
ing,  and  wonderful.  I  longed  to  have  all  see  and  know  these  tilings  as  they 
now  appeared  to  me.  I  was 'greatly  affected,  in  the  view  of  my  own  df-prav- 
ity,  the  sinfulness,  guilt,  and  odiousness  of  my  character ;  and  tears  flowed 
in  great  plenty.  A  tier  some  time,  I  left  my  closet,  and  went  into  the  adjoin 
ing  room,  no  other  person  being  then  there.  I  walked  the  room,  all  intent  on 
these  subjects,  and  took  up  Watta's  version  of  the  Psalms,  and  opened  it  at 
the  lifty-lirst  1'sulm,  and  read  the  first,  second,  and  third  parts  in  long  metre, 
with  strong  affections,  and  made  it  all  my  own  language,  and  thought  it  was 
the  language  of  my  heart  to  God,  I  dwelt  upon  it  willi  pleasure,  and  wept 
much.  And  when  I  had  laid  the  book  aside,  my  mind  continued  fixed  on  the 
subject,  and  in  the  exercise  of  devotion,  confession,  adoration,  petition,  &c., 
in  which  I  seemed  to  pour  out  my  heart  to  God  with  great  freedom.  I  con 
tinued  all  attention  to  the  tilings  of  religion,  in  which  most  appeared  more  or 
less  engaged.  There  were  many  instances,  as  was  then  supposed,  of  conver 
sion,  f  felt  a  peculiar,  pleasing  affection  to- those  who  were  supposed  to  be 
Christians. 

"  But  two  things  appear,  now,  to  me  remarkable,  with  respect  to  my  views 
i\nd  exercises  which  I  have  just  now  mentioned.  First,  I  had  not  then  the 
least  thought  or  suspicion  that  what  I  had  experienced  was  conversion,  or  any 
tiling  like  it ;  nor  did  such  a  thought  enter  my  mind,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect, 
till  near  a  year  after  this  ;  or,  if  any  such  thought  was  suggested  at  any  time, 
it  was  immediately  rejected.  I  had  formed  an  idea  in  my  mind  of  conversion, 
what  persons  who  were  converted  must  be,  and  how  they  must  feel,  which 
was  so  entirely  different  from  that  which  I  had  seen  and  felt,  that  I  was  so  far 
from  a  thought  that  I  was  converted,  that  I  thought  I  knew  I  was  not,  ana1 
made  no  scruple  to  tell  my  friends  so  from  time  to  time.  Secondly,  I  do  not 

*  It  is  not  to  be  forgotten  that  Brainerd  wo*  at  this  time  (one  year  before  hit  expul 
sion  from  college)  but  a  top/iornorf,  and,  in  conformity  with  the  collegiate  usages  of  hit 
•lay,  could  not  expect  llml  Hopkins,  being  a  tumor,  would  condescend  to  much  fumil- 
iurily  of  personal  intercourse  with  him,  although  he  was  more  than  throe  years  older 
than  Hopkins.  Subsequently,  however,  the  two  youth*  became  intimate  companions  j 
and  tho  fact  that  Hopkins  never  ferreted  out  the  opinion  which  his  friend  formed  of  hit 
religious  state,  in  that  college  revival,  it  one  among  maay  instancci  of  the  dignity  and 
abstractedness  which  marked  his  conversation  with  moo. 
» t 


18  &EMOIR. 

recollect  that  I  said  a  worfl  to  any  person  living  of  these  exorcises,  or  gave 
the  least  hint  of  them  to  any  one,  for  almost  a  year  after  they  took  place.  I 
did  not  think  they  were  worth  speaking  of,  being  nothing  like  conversion. 
And  by  degrees  I  ceased  to  recollect  any  thing  of  them,  still  hoping  and 
looking  for  something  greater  and  bettor,  and  of  quite  a  different  kind. 

"  When  I  heard  Mr.  Tcnnent,  as  mentioned  above,  I  thought  he  was  the 
greatest  and  best  man,  and  the  beet  preacher,  that  I  had  ever  seen  or  heard. 
His  words  -were  to  mo  'like  anplos  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver.'  And  I 
then  thought  that  when  I  should  leave  the  college,  as  I  was  then  in  my  last 
year,  I  would  go  and  live  with  him,  wherever  I  should  find  him.*  But  just 
before  the  commencement,  in  September,  when  I  won  to  take- my  degree,  on 
the  seventeenth  day  of  which  month  I  was  twenty  ycnrs  old,  Mr.  Ldwards, 
of  Northampton,  came  to  Nc\v  Haven  and  preached.  Ho  then  preached  the 
Kcrmon  on  The-  Trial  of  the  Spirits,  which  was  afterwards  printed.  I  had 
before  read  his  sermons  on  Justification,  &c.,  and  his  Narrative  of  the  Re 
markable  Conventions  at  Northampton,  which  took  placo  about  seven  years 
ocforo  thin.  Though  I  then  did  not  obtain  any  personal  acquaintance  with 
him,  any  further  than  by  hearing  him  preach,  yet  I  conceived  sucji  an  esteem 
of  him,  and  wan  so  pleased  with  his  preaching,  that  I  altered  my  former  de- 
tonninntiou  with  respect  to  Mr.  Tenncnt,  ana  concluded  to  go  and  live  with 
Mr.  Edwards,  us  Boon  as  I  should  have  opportunity,  though  ho  lived  about 
eighty  miles  from  my  father's  house. 

M  After  I  had  taken  my  first  degree,  which  wns  in  September,  1741,  I  re 
tired  to  my  father's,  in  Waterbury  ;  and  being  dejected  and  very  gloomy  in 
my  mind,  I  lived  a  recluse  life  for  some  months.  Considering  myself  as  a 
sinful,  lost  creature,  I  spent  most  of  my  time  in  reading,  meditation,  and 
prayer,  and  spent  many  whole  days  in  fasting  and  prayer,  My  attention 
turned  chielly  to  my  own  (sini illness,  and  as  being  wholly  lost  in  myself, 
of  which  I  had  an  increasing  conviction.  Uut  I  also  attended  to  the  st.rte 
of  religion  in  tho  vicinity.  There  was  a  general  and  uncommon  atten 
tion  to  religion,  and  much  preaching  by  ministers  who  went  from  town 
to  town;  but  opposition  was  made  to  tho  revival  of  religion,  which  now 
began  to  increase  among  ministers  and  people.  Homo  considered  it  BH 
an  evil  work,  in  tho  whole  of  it.  Others  allowed  there  WHS  somo  good 
attending  it,  but  objected  greatly  to  many  things  which  took  place  and  were 
practised  by  the  friends  and  subjects  of  the  work,  as  imprudent  and  wrong. 
I  was  a  strong  advocate  for  the  doctrines  preached  by  the  ministers  who  were 
instruments  of  promoting  the  revival,  and  for  tho  practices  of  those  who  were 
the  subjects  of  it,  and  were  supposed  to  be  converted.  It  is  true,  there  were 
wine  things  said  and  practised  which  I  did  not  understand  and  fully  see 
through.  But  as  I  considered  them  as  Christians,  and  myself  as  not  one,  and 
consequently  ignorant  and  incapable  of  judging,  I  concluded  they  must  be 
right.  I  spent  days  in  fasting  and  prayer,  seeking  tho  promotion  of  that 
which  to  mo  appeared  to  be  true  religion,  and  the  suppression  of  all  oppo 
sition  to  it.  I  endeavored  to  promote  religion  mrtong  the  young  people  in  the 
town,  and  encouraged  them  who  were  attentive  and  concerned  to  meet 
together  for  prayer,  and  to  spend  days  of  fasting  and  prayer  together,  es 
pecially  those  who  were  thought  to  be  converted.  When  I  saw  persons 
whom  I  considered  to  bo  unconverted,  I  felt  disposed  to  pray  for  them,  that 
they  might  bo  converted  and  saved,  and  felt  great  concern  for  somo  individ 
uals  of  tlu's  character. 

*  How  different  the  opinion  of  Hopkini  from  ihnt  of  Dr.  Cutler,' who  wrote,  m  1711, 
lo  the  Society  for  tho  1'ropngntion  of  the  (Jospe),  "  I  need  only  mention  one  [follower 
of  WhitrfieldJ  Gilbert  Tennent,  a  teacher  living  to  tho  Routhwnrd,  who  visited  ui  the  lust 
winter,  and  nuTicted  ux  more  than  the  most  intense  cold  and  unow  that  wn*  over  known 
among  IH,  and  kept  even  tho  most  tender  people  travelling  night  and  day,  to  hoar  tho 
rnost  vtilgnr,  crude,  nnd  boiitorotis  thing*  from  him,  to  the  ruin  of  tho  health  of  many, 
and  Ihe  poisoning  of  more,  with  unsound  divinity,"  etc.  See  President  Wool  soy '•  His 
torical  Discourse,  p.  109. 


MEMOIR.  19 

"  In  the  month  of  December,  being  furnished  with  a  horse,  &c.,  I  set  out 
for  Northampton,  with  a  view  to  live  with  Mr.  Edwards,  where  I  was  an  utter 
stranger.  When  I  arrived  there,  Mr.  Edwards  was  not  at  home ;  but  [II  was 
received  with  great  kindness  by  Mrs.  Edwards  and  the  family,  and  haa  en 
couragement  that  I  might  live  there  during  the  winter.  Mr.  Edwards  was 
abroad  on  a  preaching  tour,  as  people  in  general  were  greatly  attentive  to 
religion  and  preaching,  which  was  attended  with  remarkable  effects  in  the 
conviction  ana  supposed  conversion  of  multitudes.  I  was  very  gloomy,  and 
was  most  of  the  time  rctir.cd  in  my  chamber.  After  some  days,  Mrs.  Edwards 
came  into  my  chamber,  and  said,  'As  I  was  now  become  one  of  the  family  for 
a  season,  she  felt  herself  interested  in  my  welfare ;  and  [as]  she  observed  that 
I  appeared  gloomy  and  dejected,  she  hoped  I  would  not  think  ehe  intruded  by 
desiring  to  know,  and  asking  mo  what  was  the  occasion  of  it,'  or  to  that  pur 
pose.  I  told  her  the  freedom  she  used  was  agreeable  to  me  ;  that  the  occa 
sion  of  the  nppearance  which  she  mentioned  was  the  state  in  which  I  consid 
ered  myself.  I  was  in  a  Christless,  graceless  state,  and  had  boon  under 
a  degree  of  conviction  and  concern  for  mvsclf  for  a  number  of  months.  [I] 
had  got  no  relief,  nnd  my  case,  instead  ot  growing  bettor,  nppenrud  to  grow 
worse.  Upon  which  we  entered  into  a  free  conversation;  and,  on  the  whole, 
she  told  me  that  tmo  had  peculiar  exercises  respecting  me,  since  I  had  been 
in  the  family;  that  she  trusted  I  should  receive  light  and  comfort,  and  doubted 
not  that  God  intended  yet  to  do  groat  tilings  by  me,  &c.  This  conversation 
did  not  sensibly  raise  my  spirits  in  the  least  degree.  My  views  of  myself 
were  such,  nnd  my  prospect  and  hope  of  an}»  good  were  so  low,  that  I  then 
paid  no  sensible  regard  to  what  she  said. 

"  Religion  was  now  at  a  lower  ebb  at  Northampton  than  it  had  been  of 
late,  and  than  it  appeared  to  bo  in  tho  neighboring  towns,  and  in  New  Eng 
land  in  general.  In  tho  month  of  January,  Mr.  Buo.ll,  my  classmate,  whom 
I  mentioned  before,  came  to  Northampton,  having  commenced  a  zealous 
preacher  of  the  gospel,*  and  was  tho  mc:uu  of  greatly  reviving  tho  people  to 
y.eal  in  religion.  Ho  preached  every  day,  and  sometimes  twice  a  tiny,  mib- 
licly,  Mr.  Edwards  being  out  of  town,  preaching  in  distant  towns.  Prolong 
ing  Christiana  npponred  greatly  revived  nnd  comforted,  nnd  a  number  wero 
under  conviction,  and  I  think  there  were  some  hopeful  now  converts.  After 
Mr.  Buell  had  preached  in  Northampton  a  week  or  two,  he  set  out  on  a  tour 
towards  Boston,  to  preach  in  tho  towns  in  those  parts,  and  I  went  with  him. 
People  crowded  to  hear  him  in  every  place;  and  great  numbers  M-CTO  awa 
kened,  and  many  were  thought  to  be  converted.  After  continuing  with  him 
about  two  weeks,  I  returned  to  Northampton,  wh°n  my  exercises  of  mind 
were  such  that  I,  for  the  frsl  time,  admitted  a  hope  that  they  were  really  gra 
cious,  and  my  mind  immediately  recurred  back  to  tho  time  when  I  had  those 
views  and  affections,  almost  a  year  before,  which  have  been  mentioned ;  and 
they  appeared  to  me  to  bo  of  the  same  kind  with  those  which  now  possessed 
my  mind,  and  [I  saw]  that  the  course  of  exercises  which  I  ninco  had  did  not 
differ  in  kind  Irom  thn  first,  nnd  from  those  which  I  now  had,  though  I  had 
within  this  time  often  said  I  was  certain  I  had  no  grace  ;  and  never  had  for  a 
moment,  that  I  can  recollect,  entertained  the  least  degree  of  hope,  or  one 
thought  that  I  was  not  in  a  state  of  nature.  While  at  Northampton,  before 
this,  I  converged  with  a  number  of  Christians  who  were  thought  to  be  know 
ing  and  eminent.  I  perceived  that  they  thought  I  was  a  Christian.  But  this  did 
not  have  the  least  perceivable  iniluence  on  my  mind,  so  as  to  excite  tho  least 
hope  that  I  was  a  Christian ;  but  [I]  thought  and  felt  that  I  knew  this  was  not, 
nnd  could  not,  bo  true. 

"  I  now  determined  to  make  known  the  whole  of  my  exercises  to  Mr.  Ed 
wards,  as  far  as  I  could  communicate  them.  I  told  him  my  present  exercises, 
and  those  which  I  have  related  which  took  place  at  college  near  a  year  before. 

•  He  was  licenced  a  mouth  only  after  he  was  graduated.  He  cnmo  to  Northamp 
ton  on  tho  27th  of  January. 


20  .  MEMOIR. 

When  ho  had  heard  mo,  he  asked  me  why  I  had  not  told  him  these  things 
before.  I  told  him  it  wag  because  I  had  no  thought  that  such  exercises  were 
conversion,  or  Christian  exercises,  till  very  lately.  He  gave  not  his  opinion 
expressly  ;  nor  did  I  desire  he  should,  for  I  was  fur  from  relying  on  any  man's 
judgment  in  such  a  case.  But  I  supposed  he  entertained  a  hope  that  I  was  a 
Christian."  * 

Thus  we  sec  that  this  diffident  young  mnn  first  opened  his  eyes 
upon  spiritual  truth  among  those  who  were  called  "  New  Lights." 
lie  tlrew  his  earliest  religious  breath  among  earnest  men,  who  were 
panting  for  tho  amelioration  of  tlie  race.  He  was  born,  morally  as 
well  as  intellectually,  among  tho  advocates  of  progress.  Tho  circum 
stances  of  his  spiritual  birth  affected  his  entire  religious  life.  Less 
than  a  prophet  might  have  divined  that  a  youth  in  his  teens,  catch 
ing  tho  spirit  of  AVhiteficld,  Tennent,  Brainerd,  Buell,  and  Edwards, 
would  not  sleep  over  abuses  because  they  had  been  sanctioned  by 
length  of  years.  Such  a  man,  renewed  in  such  a  way,  feels  a  long- 
continued  impulse  to  make  men  better;  to  free  them  from  delusion, 
even  if  it  bo  old;  to  enrich  them  with  truth,  even  if  it  bo  new;  to 
struggle  forward  and  onward  "  for  the  perfecting  of  the  saints." 
In  the  case  of  Hopkins,  history  ratifies  what  might  have  been  the 
voice  of  prophecy. 

Wo  see  also  that  this  hiodeat  youth  began  his  Christian  life  in  n 
revival  of  religion,  which  was  attended  with  much  fanaticism  on  the 
one  hand,  and  with  eminent  godliness  on  the  other,  lint  amid  all 
tho  wildfire  that  burned  around  him,  how  considerate  and  circum 
spect  ho  remained  !  While  many  of  his  companions  ran  into  ex 
travagances,  he  was  pressing  through  a  severe  "law-work,"  and  was 
laying  in  solitude  the  deep  foundations  of  n  character  which  was  to 
riso  high  in  religious  worth.  Many  eminent  CulviiiUtB  of  his  day, 
some  of  his  college  instructors,  stood  aloof  from  the  revival ;  ho 
was  too  benevolent  to  feel  less  than  the  deepest  interest  in  it.  Some 
features  of  it  he  could  not  approve ;  but  he  was  too  modest  to  rely 
on  his  own  judgment,  in  opposition  to  the  good  men  whom  he  felt 
to  be,  in  tho  main,  engaged  in  a  good  cause.  He  was  not  censori 
ous  against  the  enthusiasts,  neither  was  he  himself  an  enthusiast;  but 
his  narrative  of  the  revival  proves  him  to  have  been  then,  what  he 
developed  himself  to  be  afterwards,  an  humble  Christian  philosopher. 
We  have  much  to  IIOJMJ  from  such  a  convert. 


SECT.   IV.    RESIDENCE    AT   NORTHAMPTON,    AND    STUDY    OF 
THEOLOGY. 

We  have  .already  introduced  this  unassuming  young  student  into 
the  almost  patrician  family  of  President  Edwards,  at  Northampton. 
Nowhere  on  earth,  perhaps,  could  have  been  found,  nt  that  time,  a 

*  Sketches,  etc.,  pp.  27-43. 


MEMOIR.  21 

more  eligible  residence  for  a  theological  inquirer.  Mr.  Edwards 
was  in  the  thirty-ninth  year  of  his  age,  and  at  the  height  of  his  min 
isterial  usefulness.  His  wife  was  in  her  thirty-second  year,  and  was 
eminent,  not  only  for  her  personal  elegance,  hut  for  the  richness  and 
brilliancy  of  her  mind.  Their  daughter  .Tcrusha,  afterwards  be 
trothed  to  Dnvid  Brainerd,  was  at  this  time  in  her  twelfth  year; 
Esther,  afterwards  the  wife  of  President  Burr,  was  in  her  tenth  year  ; 
and  Mary,  the  mother  of  President  Dwight,  was  in  her  eighth  year. 
All  of  these  daughters  were  beautiful  and  sprightly.  The  charms  of 
such  an  interesting  family  were  the  influences  which  Hopkins  needed 
in  his  despondent  condition.  Wo  have  just  seen  Mrs.  Edwards 
entering  his  room,  and  striving  to  impart  that  spiritual  comfort  wlu'ch 
so  accomplished  a  lady  was  so  well  fitted  to  administer.  We  catch 
another  glimpse  of  his  religious  intercourse  with  her  a  few  weeks 
afterward,  on  Wednesday,  January  27,  1742.  His  classmate  Bucll 
had  preached  a  lecture  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  The  au 
dience  were  deeply  moved.  Many  of  them  remained  three  hours  in 
the  meeting-house  after  the  public  exercises  were  closed.  When  Mrs. 
Edwards  returned  to  her  house,  she  found  there  several  Christian 
friends,  in  company  with  Mr.  Bucll  and  Mr.  Hopkins.  "Seeing  and 
conversing  with  them,"  she  says,  »  on  the  divine  goodness,  renewed 
my  former  feclingrf,  and  filled  me  with  an  intense  desire  that  wo 
might  all  arise,  and  with  an  active,  flowing,  and  fervent  hcnrt,  give 
glory  to  God.  The  intcnsencss  of  my  feelings  again  took  away  my 
bodily  strength.  The  words  of  one  of  Dr.  Watts's  Hosannas  pow 
erfully  affected  me;  and,  in  the  course  of  the  conversation,  I  uttered 
them  as  the  real  language  of  my  heart,  with  great  earnestness  and 
emotion : 

1  Hosnnna  to  King  David's  Son,   • 
Who  reign*  on  a  superior  throno,'  etc. 

And  while  I  was  uttering  the  words,  my  mind  was  so  deeply  im 
pressed  with  the  love  of  Christ,  and  u  sense  of  his  immediate  pres 
ence,  that  I  could  with  difficulty  refrain  from  rising  from  my  seat 
and  leaping  for  joy.  I  continued  to  enjoy  thin  intense,  and  lively, 
and  refreshing  sense  of  divine  thing.*,  accompanied  with  strong 
emotions,  for  nearly  an  hour ;  after  which  I  experienced  a  delight 
ful  calm,  and  peace,  and  rest  in  God,  until  I  retired  for  the  night."  * 
It  was  with  a  frequent  recurrence  of  similar  interviews  that  our 
reverential  student  prepared  himself  for  the  ministry.  The  influence 
of  them  in  directing  and  deepening  his  theological  speculations,  can 
not  be  mistaken.  lie  was  wont  to  speak  of  them  in  his  old  age 
even.  There  is  a  striking  coincidence  between  his  subsequent  views 
of  "  disinterested  submission,"  and  the  feelings  which  Mrs1.  Ed 
wards  expressed  several  weeks  after  he  became  a  inctnbei  of  her 
family. 

•  Sco  Dwight's  Edwards,  vol.  i.  p.  176. 


22  MEMOIR. 

"  I  told  those  who  wcro  present,"  sho  says,  "  that  I  choao  to  die  in  tho  way 
that  wan  moHt  agreeable  to  God's  will,  and  that  I  should  bo  willing  to  dio  in 
darkness  and  horror,  if  it  was  most  for  tho  glory  of  God."  * 

During  .  tho  night  nftcr  this  remark,  (January  29,  1741,)  nnd 
through  subsequent  days  and  nights,  she  had  a  train  of  reflections 
which  would  now  be  termed  Hopkinsian,  nnd  which  may  have  been 
tho  germ  of  one  branch  of  Hopkinsinnism  ;  for  they  were,  doubtless, 
soon  communicated  to  tho  inquisitive  and  solemn  youth  who  eat  at 
her  table-  nnd  listened  to  her  daily  conversation. 

"  I  also  thought,"  she  writes,!  "  how  God  had  graciously  given  me,  for  a 
great  while,  an  entire  resignation  to  his  will  with  respect  to  the  kind  and 
manner  of  death  Unit  I  should  dio  ;  having  boon  made  willing  to  die  on  the 
rack,  or  at  tho  stake,  or  any  other  tormenting  death,  and,  if  it  wore  God's  will, 
to  dio  in  darkness  ;  and  how  I  hud  that  day  boon  made  very  sensible  and  fully 
willing,  if  it  was  God's  pleasure,  and  for  his  glory,  to  dio  in  horror.  But  i\oW 
it  occurred  to  mo  that  when  I  had  thus  boon  mado  willing  to  live,  and  to  be 
kept  on  thin  dark  abode,  1  used  to  think  of  living  no  longer  than  to  tho  ordi 
nary  nge  of  man.  Upon  thin,  I  wan  led  to  ask  myself  whether  I  was  not  will 
ing  to  bo  kept  out  of  heaven  even  longer;  and  my  whole  heart  Hoemod 
immediately  to  reply,  '  Yen,  a  thousand  years,  if  it  bo  God's  will,  and  for  his 
honor  and  glory;'  and  then  my  heart,  in  tho  language  of  resignation,  went 
further,  and  with  great  alacrity  and  sweetness,  to  answer,  as  it  were,  over  and 
over  again,  'Yes,  and  live  a  thousand  years  in  horror,  if  it  be  most  for  the 
glory  of  God.  Yea,  I  nm  willing  to  live  a  thousand  years  [in]  an  hell  upon 
earth,  if  it  he  most  for  the  honor  of  God.'  Hut  then  I  considered  with  myself 
what  this  would  bo  to  live  [in]  an  hell  upon  earth  for  HO  long  a  time,  and  I 
thought  of  tho  torment  of  my  body  being  so  great,  awful,  and  overwhelming, 
that  none  could  bear  to  live  in  tho  country  where  the  spectacle  was  seen,  and 
of  tho  torment  nnd  horror  of  my  mind  being  vastly  greater  than  the  torment 
of  my  body  ;  itnd  it  seemed  to  me  that  I  found  a  perfect  willingness,  and  sweet 
quietness  and  alacrity  of  foul,  in  consenting  that  it  should  be  so,  if  it  were 
most  for  the  glory  of  God;  HO  that  there  was  no  hesitation,  doubt,  or  dark 
ness  in  my  mind,  attending  the  thoughts  of  it,  but  my  resignation  seemed  to 
/  be  clear,  like  a  light  that  shone  through  my  soul.  I  continued  saying,  '  Amen, 
Lord  Jesus!  Amen,  I^ird  Jesus!  Glorify  thyself  in  me,  in  my  body  and  my 
soul,'  with  a  calm  and  sweetness  of  soul  which  banished  all  reluctance.  The 
glory  of  God  seemed  to  overcome  me  nnd  swallow  me  up;  and  every  con 
ceivable  Hurtering,  and  every  thing  that  was  terrible  to  my  nature,  seemed  to 
shrink  to  nothing  before  it.  This  resignation  continued  in  its  clearness  and 
brightness  the  rest  of  the  night,  and  all  the  next  day  and  the  night  following, 
and  on  Monday  in  tho  forenoon,  without  interruption  or  abatement.  All  this 
while,  whenever  I  thought  of  it,  tho. language  of  my  soul  was,  with  the  great 
est  fulness  and  alacrity, .'  Amen,  Lord  Jesus!  Amen,  Lord  Jesus!'  hi  the 
afternoon  of  Monday,  it  was  not  quite;  so  perceptible  and  lively  ;  but  mv  mind 
remained  so  much  in  a  similar  frame,  for  more  than  a  week,  that  I  could  never 
think  of  it  without  an  inexpressible  sweetness  in  my  soul." 

Twenty-two  ycnrs  after  this  period,  Hopkins  wiys  of  Mrs.  Ed 
wards  : 

•'  Rho  was  eminent  for  her  piety  and  experimental  religion.  Religions  con 
versation  was  much  her  delight,  nnd  this  she  promoted  in  nil  companies,  as 
far  (is  was  proper  and  decent  for  her;  and  her  discourse  showed  her  under- 

*  Dwight's  Edward*,  vol.  i.  p.  181.  t  Ib.  pp.  102,  183. 


MEMOIR.  23' 

standing  in  divino  thing*,  and  the  great  impression  they  had  on  her  mind. 
The  friends  of  true  religion,  and  they  who  were  ready  to  engage  in  religious 
conversation,  and  delighted  in  that  which  was  most  essential  and  practical  in 
true  religion,  were  her  peculiar  friends  and  intiniateH,  to  whom  oho  would 
open  her  mind  freely,  and  tell  them  the  exercises  of  her  own  heart,  and  what 
God  had  done  for  her  soul,  for  their  encouragement  and  excitement  in  the 
ways  of  God.  Her  mind  appeared,  to  them  who  were  most  conversant  with 
her,  con.stu.ntly  to  attend  to  divino  tilings,  even  on  all  occasions,  and  in  all 
business  of  life."  * 

We  have  noticed  that  in  December,  1741,  Hopkins  came  to  study 
at  Northampton,  while  his  teacher  was  absent.  On  the  25th  of 
January,  1742,  Mr.  Edwards  went  to  Leicester,  and  there  labored 
several  week?.  «« In  the  latter  end  of  March,"  Hopkins  left  North 
ampton,  "  with  n  view  to  obtain  a  license  to  preach."  It  appears, 
then,  that  before  bo  commenced  preaching,  Jio  remained  with  bis 
teacher  JOSH  than  four  months,  and  it  i«  known  that  during  this 
period  bis  toucher  was  often  from  home  on  missionary  tours.  Hop 
kins  spent  the  month  of  April  in  bis  still  and  beautiful  native  town. 
At  bis  father's  bouse,  within  about  an  hour's  rido  from  the  house  of 
Dr.  IJcllumy,  in  Bethlem,  lie  writes : 

"  I  have  of  late  entertained  a  hope  that  I  did  experience  a  saving  change 
above  a  year  ago ;  and  I  find  myself  more  and  more  established  in  it  The 
Lord  grant  that  I  may  not  bo  deceived  !  I  havo  HOIIIO  thought*  (Mod  willing) 
of  being  examined,  next  week,  in  ordnr  to  nrcach  the  sweet  and  everlasting 
gospel  of  Jesus,  though,  many  times,  my  heart  shrinks  at  the  thought.  I 
hope  the  Lord  will  direct  me.  —  April  ±>,  17-l!2.  This  day,  I  obtained  a  per 
mit  to  go  forth  and  nroach  the  gospel:  but  this  is  only  from  men.  It  hath 
been  my  request,  and  I  hope  my  sincere  desire,  that  I  might  have  a  commis 
sion  from  Jim  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  tho  greut  Lord  of  tho  harvest,  and  bo  sent 
forth  by  him  tin  a  laborer  in  his  vineyard." 

"After  1  had  preached,"  ho  nnys  in  his  Autobiography  ,f  "a  few  times  at 
my  native  place  and  places  adjacent,  occasionally,  I  returned  to  Northampton, 
proposing  to  spend  sonic  time  in  pursuing  my  studies  with  Mr.  Kd wards, 
where  I  lived  during  the  summer,  preaching  sometimes  in  Mr.  Kdwnnls's  pul 
pit,  and  to  private  meetings  ;  and  sometimes  rodo  out  to  neighboring  towns, 
and  preached;  for  which  I  neither  demanded  nor  received  nny  pay,  except 
forty  shillings,  old  tenor,  for  preaching  one  Sabbath  at,  Wcstficld,  which  wa.i 
given  without  nny  demand  or  expectation  from  me.  I  nlso  pronchod  in  tho 
fall,  a  number  of  Sabbaths,  at  Jlethlom,  to  Mr.  Bellamy's  people,  grutis,  whilo 
he  took  a  tour  an  fur  as  Philadelphia,  in  order  to  preach,  an  people  in  general 
then  had  a  hearing  our." 

After  be  bad  spent  more  than  three  additional  months  with  Mr. 
Edwards,  iti  17-1'.),  Hopkins  did  not  regard  himself  as  having  com 
pleted  bis  theological  education  ;  but  be  says,  in  bis  Diary,  May  !Jf), 
1743,  ««  Rode  to-day  from  Westfield  hither,  [to  Northampton;]  — am 
kindly  received  by  Mr.  Edwards  and  bis  family.  1  have-  thoughts 
of  staying  here  this  summer.  I  hope  (JSod  will  lead  me  to  what  is 
my  duty."  He  commenced  a  school  in  the  village,  and  at  the  sumo 

*  Sketch  of  Mrs.  Edwards's  Life  and  Character,  Edinburgh  edition,  pp.  Ill,  112. 
t  Sketches,  etc.,  p.  45. 


24  MEMOIR* 

time  prosecuted  his  studies,  but  at  the  end  of  four  weeks  wns  seized 
with  a  rheumatic  affection,  and  wns  compelled  to  change  his  resi 
dence.  Thus  ho  spent  a  little  more  than  eight  months  in  the  hosom 
of  Mr.  Edwards'^  household,  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  his  rich  in 
structions.  The  intimacy  which  Hopkins  then  formed  with  his 
teacher  produced  a  decided  effect  upon  his  entire  subsequent  life. 
It  enabled  him  to  give  a  very  minute  account  of  Mr.  Edwards'a 
private  habits.  We  nre  indebted  to  Hopkins  for  the  authentic  infor 
mation  which  we  have  concerning  the  devotional  observances,  house 
hold  arrangements,  social  usages  of  his  beloved  instructor. 

SECT.  V.    PRIVATE  JOURNAL. 

About  this  time,  the  young  candidate  began  his  Diary.  It  was 
obviously  designed  to  be  private,  for  ho  records  many  events  which 
he  would  not  wish  to  let  his  best  friends  know.  Some  of  these  in 
cidents,  for  the  purpose  of  secrecy,  he  narrates  in  the  Latin  lan 
guage.  And  yet,  through  the  entire  Journal,  (so  far  forth  as  it  is 
now  preserved  and  has  been  perused  by  the  present  biographer,) 
there  is  not  to  be  found  one  disclosure  which  could  in  any  degree 
sully  the  fair  name  of  Hopkins.  Kven  its  most  secret  records  are 
perfectly  honorable  to  his  character.  It  is  written  with  careless 
ness  ;  it  exposes  the  great  divine  in  his  dhhulriHc,  bitt  is  a  far  nobler 
monument  to  his  virtue  than  is  hi*  Autobiography.  If  it  hud  been 
penned  with  any  design  of  exposing  it  to  his  friends  even,  its  charm 
and  its  value  would  have  been  lessened  ;  but  as  it  is,  it  serves  as  a 
glass  through  which  is  to  be  seen  the  heart  of  its  author.  Some  of 
its  assertions  are  too  condemnatory  of  himself  to  be  true,  but  they 
were  thought  or  felt  to  be  true  by  him  who  made  them.  They  are 
to  be  received  with  abatement,  as  if  they  had  been  the  words  of  his 
enemy  ;  for  he  did  hate  and  abhor  himself,  and  write  bitter  things 
against  himself.  His  Autobiography  has  been  called  his  Confession, 
and  his  private  Journal  may  be  called  his  Self-accusation.  It  was 
doubtless  a  fault  to  disparage  his  performances  so  unremittingly,  but 
it  was  a  failing  which  "  leaned  to  virtue's  side." 

Many  of  the  details  in  the  ensuing  Memoir  arc  derived  from  the 
relics  of  this  Journal.  It  is  much  to  be  regretted,  that  after  Novem 
ber  2,  175(5,  a  large  part  of  his  Journal  was  written  in  cipher,  and, 
since  the  death  of  his  widow,  has  been  to  some  extent  unintelligible. 
Those  parts  of  it  -which  were  deciphered  by  her  for  the  Autobiogra 
phy  edited  by  Dr.  West,  are  the  richest  portions  of  the  whole. 

SECT.  VI.    EARLIEST   EFFORTS   IN   THE  CHRISTIAN  MINISTRY,  AND 
FEELINGS   IN  VIEW  OF   THEM. 

The  subject  of  our  Memoir  was  constitutionally  inclined  to  de 
spondency.  He  looked  at  the  dark  side  of  nearly  all  objects,  at  the 


MEMOIR.  25 

darkest  side  of  his  own  character.  In  two  thirds  of  the  passages  of 
his  Diary,  where  he  comments  on  his  own  sermons,  he  speaks  of 
them  ns  "  dull,"  «« very  dull,"  or  as  deserving  of  some  worse  epithet, 
And  oven  when  ho  is  willing  to  confess  tliut  ho  "  spoke  with  some 
power  for  a  few  minutes,"  and  "  hud  a  little  turn  or  two"  of  "free 
dom,"  and  "  was  not.  so  insipid  as  sometimes,"  he  qualifies  his  con 
fession,  and  "loses  himself  in  a  humble  way,"  Thus  he  writes: 

"  Sunday,  March  20,  1743.  Preached  to-day,  in  the  forenoon,  from  Pa. 
xxix.  4.  find  no  great  pressing  and  feeling  sense  of  divine  truths,  but  yet 
was  enabled  to  sneak  with  freedom.  In  the  afternoon,  from  Matt.  xvi.  &>. 
Had  a  little  sense,  for  a  small  minute,  of  the  happiness  of  those  that  should 
forever  dwell  in  tlio  presence  of  God,  and  feel  the  beamings  forth  of  his  love. 
No  visible  effects  of  the  word  this  day."  —  u  Wednesday,  May  4,  1743.  Have 
had  my  mind  much  bent  in  studying  some  part  of  this  day,  in  making  a  ser 
mon  wherein  I  treat  of  the  Sabbath  —  of  its  institution  and  change,  &e.  And 
this  evening,  through  the  goodness  of  Cod,  have  had  some  refreshing  discov 
eries  of  divine  tilings,  longing  tint  the  whole  world  might  be  brought  to  tho 
knowledge  of  Cod,  and  that  the  children  of  (iod  might  live  like  themselves, 
and  have  views  of  an  approaching  eternity,  and  feel  the  love  of  Cod  in  their 
souls  ;  that  the  ministers  of  Christ  might  always  experience  how  sweet  it  is 
to  preach  Christ,  nnd  ofler  him  to  fallen,  undone  sinners;  that  unconverted 
ministers  might  have  their  eye*  opened.  (.),  how  sweet  it  is  to  get  on  Mount 
Pisgah,  and  from  thence  behold  the  promised  land!" 

Such  were  his  habits  of  introspection,  nnd  such  was  his  humiliating 
estimate  of  himself,  that  months  he  fore  his  ordination  he  wrote  in 
his  Journal  : 

"  I  have  for  some  time  been  much  discouraged  about  preaching,  and  feel 
inclined  to  leave  ofT,  —  am  filled  with  doubts  about  my  own  good  estate." 

"Friday,  October  l'-2,  1744.  Have  been  trying  at  turns  to  study  a  sermon 
all  this  week,  but  cannot  make  it  out  yet.  I  have  been  very  senseless  and 
stupid  to-day,  and  this  evening  have  been  in  a  strange  posture.  1  know  not 
how  to  describe  it.  It  is  an  uneasy  stupor.  There  seems  to  be  a  separating 
wall  between  (Jod  and  my  soul.  I  am  all  in  the  dark,  and  cannot  speak  to 
him.  I  am  full  of  doubts  whether  1  know  any  thing  about  grace,  or  have  any 


inon  fresh  thoughts  of  death  this  evening.  I  fear  I  am  unprepared.  My  sins 
stare  me  in  the  face.  I  have  wofully  departed  from  Clod,  and  fear  I  have  not 
one  spark  of  tnie 'grace,  and  yet  am  afraid  all  tho  apprehensions  and  sense  1 
now  have  will  soon  wear  olf." 

At  other  times,  we;  find  him  reasoning,  "disinterestedly,"  to  prove 
tliiit  his  religious  professions  were  not  false. 

"I  have  been  very  low  and  cold  for  the  most  of  this  day,"  ho  wruns 
March  i£J,  1713.  "  1  have  been  trying  to  study  a  sermon,  but  cannot  make  it 
out.  I  had  some  enlargement  in  secret  this  evening ;  was  made  to  cry  out 
under  this  body  of  death,  and  had  desires  to  be  freed  from  it,  and,  while  J 
live  in  this  world,  to  be  as  a  tlame  of  lire  in  God's  service.  Kverv  grace  of 
God's  Spirit  which  is  implanted  in  the  believer  appeared  lovely  and  desirable 
to  me,  and  I  could  not  but.  lon^  for  them  ;  .and  I  longed  to  see  and  know  all 
the  attributes  of  God,  through  a  sense  of  the  sweetness  and  happiness  thut 
C 


26  MEMOIR. 

Buch  a  knowledge  would  afford  the  soul ;  and  upon  reflecting  upon  theso 
[views]  and  this  disposition  of  my  soul,  my  doubts  in  some  measure  ceased ; 
for  surely  this  is  something  above  nature  ;  for  why  doth  that  God  that  is  de 
scribed  in  the  Bible  appear  the  most  desirable  to  me,  unless  I  have  seen  him 
and  do  love  him  ?  Why  do  I  long  to  behold  a  great,  a  holy,  a  powerful,  ajust, 
a  true,  an  eternal,  an  omniscient,  omnipresent,  all-wise,  and  sovereign  God  ? 
Why  doth  such  a  God  appear  the  most  desirable  to  me,  and  why  do  I  choose 
to  love  such  a  God,  unless  these  his  attributes  have  been  so  seen  and  known  by 
me  that  they  have  left  their  stamp  and  impress  on  my  soul?  And  why  doth 
every  Christian  grace,  as  it  is  described  in  the  word  of  Godt  appear  beautiful 
and  lovely  to  me,  considered  in  themselves,  considered  without  their  conse 
quence,  (even  eternal  life  and  happiness,)  unless  I  have  seen  the  beauty  of 
holiness?  How  can  I  long  for  holiness,  unless  I  am  in  some  measure  sanc 
tified  ?  " 

A  little  more  tlmn  three  months  after  he  had  begun  to  preach,  he 
records  the  following  self-dedication  to  God: 

"  August  7,  1742.  Seeing  Christ  requires  that  I  deny  myself,  take  up 
my  cross,  and  renounce  all  lor  him,  taking  him  for  my  only  portion  here  and 
forever,  I  do  now  afresh  dedicate  myself  to  the  Lord,  solemnly  promising  to 
renounce  all  other  lords,  and  take,  him  for  my  portion.  I  call  heaven  and  earth 
to  witness,  that  I  now  take  the  God  of  heaven  and  earth  for  my  God.  I  now 
make  myself  over,  with  all  that  I  have  or  ever  shall  have,  to  him.  I  now 
promise  allegiance  to  the  God  of  heaven,  that  henceforth  I  will  make  it  my 
only  business  to  serve  and  honor  him,  begging  his  gracious  assistance  to  per 
form  my  obligations,  and  to  keep  my  solemn  vows  inviolate.  It  is  done  ;  I 
am  no  more  my  own,  but  I  give  myself  away  to  God,  to  be  his  forever.  JS.  II." 

It  is  an  interesting  fact,  that  lie  liad  no  sooner  entered  the  sacred 
office  than  lie  set  apart  the  last  day  of  every  week  ns  a  day  of  fast 
ing  and  prayer.  lie  continued  this  habit  more  than  sixty  years. 
He  did  not  allow  bis  Saturday  to  be  a  day  of  hurried  preparation 
for  the  Sabbath,  nor  of  any  mere  intellectual  labor".  His  work  on 
his  sermons  was  finished  before  nine  o'clock  on  Friday  evening,  and 
Saturday  was  bis  day  of  religious  rest.  Such  was  bis  reverence 
toward  Jehovah,  that  be  dared  not  go  into  the  pulpit  save  from  the 
foot  of  the  throne.  It  was  bis  principle  not  only  to  feel  what  be 
preached,  but  also  to  preach  what  be  felt.  He 'chose  to  say  aloud  on 
the  Sabbath  what  be  bad  experienced  the  day  before.  It  is  partly 
because  lie  bad  such  deep  emotion  in  view  of  truth,  (bat  lie  mourned 
so  much  over  bis  want  of  feeling.  It  is  the  pious  man  who  weeps 
the  most  bitterly  over  hit*  remaining  sin.  What  be  says  of  Presi 
dent  Edwards  is  emphatically  true  of  himself. 

lie  was  "much  on  his  knees  in  secret,  and  in  devout  reading  God's  word, 
and  meditation  upon  it  And  liis  constant,  solemn  converse  with  God,  in  these 
exercises  of  secret  religion,  made  his  face,  as  it  were,  to  shine  before  others. 
His  appearance,  his  countenance,  words,  and  whole  demeanor,  (though  with- 
"  out  any  thing  of  affected  grimace  and  sour  austerity,)  was  attended  with  a 
seriousness,  gravity,  and  solemnity  which  was  the  natural,  genuine  indication 
and  expression  of  a  deep,  abiding  sense  of  divine  things  in  his  mind,  and  of 
his  living  constantly  in  the  fear  of  God."  * 

*  Life  of  Edwards,  Edinburgh  edition,  pp.  45,  4C. 


MEMOIR.  27 


SECT.  VII.    REASONS  FOR  HOPE  AND  DISCOURAGEMENT  ON 
ENTERING  THE  SACRED  OFFICE. 

Although  God  acts  as  a  Sovereign  in  giving  success  to  preachers  of 
his  truth,  yet  lie  ordinarily  blesses  their  services  according  to  certain 
laws  which  himself  hns  originated,  and  on  which  he  allows  them  to 
calculate  in  some  degree.  Some  of  Hopkins's  natural  and  moral 
characteristics  promised  a  life  of  usefulness  in  the  ministry;  but  he 
possessed  other  traits  which  depressed  him,  and  indicated  that  he 
could  better  serve  his  race  by  scientific  study  than  by  oral  address. 

The  influence  of  a  public  speaker  is  very  much  afTected  by  his 
external  appearance.  The  person  of  Hopkins  was  dignified,  but  not 
graceful,  lie  was  more  than  six  feet  in  height,  had  a  full  chest,  a, 
large  head  and  face,  high  cheek  bones,  a  broad,  capacious  forehead, 
a  gray  or  blue  eye,  which  his  friends  land  disciples  represent  as 
beaming  with  intelligence.  lie  was  erect  in  his  figure,*  and  his 
whole  person  was  of  gigantic  proportions.  Some  friends  of  his, 
now  living,  remark  that  when,  with  his  white,  full-bottomed,  pow 
dered  wig,  his  three-cornered  hat,  his  silver  knee  buckles  and  shoe 
buckles,  he  walked  at  the  right  hand  of  General  Washington,  with 
Governor  Arthur  Fcnner  at  the  left,  through  the  streets  of  Newport, 
Rhode  Island,  during  Washington's  visit  to  that  town,  the  stature  of 
Hopkins  appeared  as  imposing,  although  his  motions  were  by  no 
means  HO  pleasing,  as  those  of 'the  father  of  his  country .t  Although 
in  his  old  age  Hopkins  moved  slowly  and  clumsily,  yet  in  his  early 
life  he  was  noted  for  agility  of  frame,  and  several  of  his  athletic 
feats  are  still  described  by  the  village  chroniclers.  His  manners,  too, 
although  awkward,  were  commanding.  In  an  association  of  min 
isters,  he  inspired  all  with  an  affectionate  awe.  Dr.  Samuel  Spring 
said,  that  he  always  trembled  in  Hopkins's  presence.  Not  only  in  his 
youth,  but  even  in  his  extreme  age,  Hopkins  paid  a  fitting  attention 
to  his  dress,  which  was  always  neat.  His  motions,  especially  in 
later  life,  were  slow,  and  indicated  the  habitual  composure  of  his 
mind.  There  was  a  want  of  flexibility  in  his  intercourse  with  pro 
miscuous  circles,  which  prevented  his  being  a  favorite  among  them. 
He  was  not  a  genial  companion  witli  the  masses.  He  was  rather 
inclined  to  be  taciturn,  except  among  chosen  friends.  His  thoughts 

*  An  olil  man  of  ninety-six  years,  who  lived  in  Newport  before,  and  while,  and  nflcr 
Dr.  IIoj>kins  preached  there,  and  who  belonged  to  Dr.  Hopkins's  church  and  choir,  says, 
that  "  the  doctor  always  attracted  attention  in  the  streets,  as  au  upriglit  and  tall  man. 
Strangers,  presuming1  that  he  was  a  great  man,  would  at  once  lake  oil'  their  hats  when 
they  met  him."  A  Baptist  clergyman  of  Newport  was  wout  to  say,  "  Dr.  Hopkins's 
countenance  always  reminds  rue  of  the  beloved  disciple." 

t  This  reminiscence  of  his  friends  is  here  mentioned,  not  for  the  ourposc  of  indors 
ing  its  historical  accuracy,  but  for  tho  sake  of  disclosing  the  impression  which  Hop- 
kin.s's  figure  and  bearing  made  upon  his  surviving  favorites.  The  writer  has  no  means 
of  ascertaining  the  truth  of  the  report,  that  Hopkins  officiated  as  chaplain  when  the 
first  President  of  the  Union  visited  Newport. 


were  in  solid  bullion,  and  he  had  but  little  small  change.  Seldom 
speaking  unless  lie  had  somctliing  to  say,  he  failed  to  please  a  some 
what  comprehensive  class  of  both  men  and  women.  Besides,  when 
lie  saw  marks  of  vanity  or  arrogance  in  others,  ho  recoiled  within 
himself,  and  appeared  blank  to  them.  Hence  he  has  sometimes  been 
misrepresented  as  unintellectual  in  his  aspect.* 

In  the  pulpit,  his  appearance  was  dignified,  solemn,  and  even 
fearful.  A  little  girl  was  once  found  weeping,  because  she  dared 
not  go  into  the  meeting-house  where  he  was  to  preach ;  for  she  said, 
"  When  I  look  up  into  the  pulpit,  I  think  I  sec  God  there."  Still 
he  was  no  orator.  He  had  more  of  homely  strength  than  of  polish. 
He  was  hlunt,  though  kindly,  in  his  accents.  lie  could  "deliver"  a 
metaphysical  essay  with  very  just  emphasis;  —  Dr.  William  Patten 
was  wont  to  say  that  Hopkins's  reading  of  such  a  treatise  was  equal 
to  any  other  man's  commentary  upon  it;  but  he  pronounced  un 
gracefully  and  inaccurately  ;  he  made  hut  few  gestures,  and  those 
were  awkward  ;  his  voice  was  not  good,t  and  his  whole  enunciation 
was  apt  to  he  drawling  and  monotonous.  He  mourned  over  his 
ungainly  style,  was  often  depressed  in  view  of  it,  and  he  strenuously 
advised  young  preachers  to  study  the  proprieties  of  outward  manner. 

"I  fun  troubled,"  ho  complains,  in  his  twenty-third  ycnr,  "with  a  sort  of 
tone,  which  1  cannot  get  rid  of."  And  in  his  seventy-filth  year,  reviewing  his 
Ininistry,  he  says,  "I  tun  sensible  that  I  was  greatly  deficient  mid  negligent  in 
the  former  part,  of  my  lift1  in  my  attention  to  language  and  taking  pains  to  ob 
tain  a  good  delivery,  which  occasioned  a  very  had  and  disagreeable  delivery, 
and  rendered  me,  not  a  good,  but  a  bad  speaker;  especially  in  the  former  part 
of  my  ministry,  though  since,  for  above  thirty  years,  I  have  made  some  iin- 

*  A  distinguished  author,  describing  his  visit  to  Dr.  Hopkins,  says, "  There  is  nothing 
striking  in  his  manner  and  conversation.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  something1  which 
\vonld  lend  a  person  ignorant  of  his  character  to  think  him  rather  weak,  and  simple,  ami 
unthinking'.  He  looks  like  a  vacant-minded  man,  and  his  conversation  on  common  ami 
ordinary  topics  is  not  calculated  to  remove  such  an  impression."  This  criticism  is  im 
portant,  for  in  the  Memoir  of  the.  eminent  man  who  made  the  criticism,  it  is  confessed, 
that  "to  strangers,  and  especially  to  those  who  had  no  prepossessions  in  his  favor,  (hero 
was  in  his  [this  critic's]  manners  mi  air  of  something  magisterial  or  repulsive,  which 
kept  many  at  a  distance,  und  which  even  his  best  friends  regretted,"  and  which,  we 
may  add,  Dr.  Hopkins  was  one  of  the  last  men  on  earth  to  encourage.  It  was  a 
marked  peculiarity  of  Hopkins,  and  of  Edwards,  to  seem  to  know  nothing  before  men 
who  seemed  to  know  too  much. 

f  The  voice  of  Mr.  Hopkins  has  been  variously  described.  In  his  old  uge,  it  was, 
of  course,  more  unpleasant  than  in  his  early  life.  A  literary  gentleman,  who  remembers 
him  only  as  he  spoke  in  his  later  years,  gives  a  representation  somewhat  diverse  from 
that  given  by  Dr.  Patten,  and  says  of  Hopkins,  «  His  voice  was  as  k\r  removed  from 
melodiousness  as  voice  well  could  be.  lie  .seemed  never  to  have  learned  that  it  was 
flexible,  capable  of  an  infinite  variety  of  modulation.  He  spoke  ever  on  the  same 
key  —  a-hca*.  y,  inelastic  monotone."  Several  of  his  former  parishioners,  on  the  contrary, 
describe-  his  voirc  as  solemn,  and  at  times  impressive.  Is  it  not  probable  that  those 
who  listened  to  him  most  fie<|ucntlv  felt  the  defects  of  his  utterance  least  sensibly,  and 
that  those  who  were,  familiar  with  him  before  his  extreme  old  age,  did  not  notice  the 
faults  which  increased  with  increase  of  years,  and  made  a  dcn-p  impression  on  his 
younger  hearers  >  NVhen  lie  commenced  his  ministry,  there  may  llave  been  nothing  dis 
couraging  in  his  vocal  powers,  but  they  wanted  culture. 


MEMOIR.  29 

provement  in  my  delivery,  by  paying  more  attention  to  it,*  and  to  language, 
by  which  I  have  been  in  a  great  measure  cured  of  some  of  my  bad  habits,  con 
tracted  through  inattention,  and  the  want  of  a  friend  to  point  them  out  to  me 
and  admonish  me.  When  I  first  began  to  preach,  my  mind  was  inquiring 
after  truth ;  and  this  pleased  and  satisfied  me  wherever  I  could  find  it,  with 
out  attending  much  to  the  manner  or  the  language  by  which  it  was  conveyed 
to  my  mind.  And  I  took  it  for  granted  that  this  was  the  case  with  others. 
This  led  me  to  inquire  after  truth,  and  in  my  sermons  to  convey  it  to  others, 
without  attending  properly  to  the  manner  arid  the  language  in  which  it  was 
coinmunicated  ;  so  that  while,  I  trust,  I  mode  some  proficiency  in  the  knowl 
edge  of  the  truth,  I  was  careless  as  to  the  manner  of  communicating  it,  and 
contracted  these  bad  habits,  with  respect  to  this,  which  it  was  not  easy, 
if  possible,  to  get  wholly  rid  of,  when  I  became  sensible  of  my  mistake,  and 
was  convinced  of  the  importance  of  studying  good  language  and  a  proper 
delivery."  f 

Tliis  tautological  extract  affords  nn  npt  illustration  of  the  truth, 
that  unless  a  man  study  the  principles  of  elocution  in  his  early  life, 
*  he  will  seldom  become  master  of  them ;  and  unless  he  form  a  good 
English  style  before  lie  begins  to  preach,  he  is  in  danger  of  never 
forming  one.|  The  youthful  Hopkins  did  not  obtain  a  mastery  of 
his  mother  tongue.  His  strong  feelings  vented  themselves  in  strong 
words,  (how  could  lie  help  it  ?)  but  he  did  not  explore  the  resources 
of  the  language  ;  he  did  not  learn  its  compass,  its  dignity,  its  graces, 
its  delicate  shades  of  meaning,  its  refined  distinctions.  \  This, 
whether  he  perceived  it  or  not,  was  to  be  one  of  the  chief  hin 
drances  to  his  power  over  tin  audience.  He  selected  his  words 
clumsily.  He  often  chose,  or  rather  stumbled  upon,  more  energetic 
terms  than  he  really  meant  to  use.  He  did  not  know  the  meaning 
of  a  euphemism.  Hence  lie  was  often  liable  to  be  misunderstood, 
to  give  unintended  offence.  Thus  he  advises  a  young  lady:  "Al 
ways  disregard  and  avoid,  as  much  as  you  can,  and  slight,  and  even 
despise,  those  who  speak  light  of  and  ridicule  religion  and  sacred 
things."  Now,  the  good  man  did  not  mean  that  she  should  despise 
any  part  of  "  being  in  general,"  but  rather  that  she  should  despise 


*  That  tliis  honest  chronicler  endeavored  to  improve  in  elocution  is  true ;  that  he  ruc~ 
carded  is  not  generally  believed.     He  mistook  the  good  effort  for  a  good  result 

t  Sketches,  etc.,  p.  92. 

$  In  his  earlier  ministry  he  had  a  contempt  for  rhetorical  study.  When  called  to 
criticize  a  youthful  preacher,  before  an  association  who  had  unanimously  applauded 
that  preacher  for  his  eloquence  of  manner,  Mr.  Hopkins  added  to  their  compliments 
the  following  remark  :  "  Your  sermon,  sir,  was  very  beautiful,  very  eloquent ;  I  was 
pleased  with  it}  but,  sir,  you  know  I  am  a  blunt  man,  —  and  a  thousand  such  sermons 
woold  do  no  good  to  a  rat.''  The  writer  once  heard  this  criticism  justified  as  literally 
correct. —  Here  it  may  bo  well  enough  to  say,  that  if  his  biography  can  bo  of  no  other 
use  to  a  public  speaker,  it  may  illustrate,  by  contrast,  the  worth  of  rhetorical  culture. 
A  quaint  clergyman  once  remarked  to  a  circle  of  candidates  for  the  ministry,  "  Three 
things  make  out  a  call  for  you  to  preach  :  first,  you  must  desire  to  preach  ;  secondly, 
you  must  be  able  to  preach ;  thirdly,  you  must  be  able  to  get  men  to  come  and  hear 
you."  The  first  requisite  comprised  a  good  heart;  the  second,  a  good  intellect;  the 
third,  a  good  style  and  utterance.  The  sequel  will  show  that  Hopkins  began  his  min 
istry  with  a  better  power  of  expression  than  ho  had  when  ho  closed  itj  but  in  the  mail 
be  exerted  hit  influence  by  the  matter,  iu  despite  of  the  manner,  of  hii  sermoni. 
C* 


OU  MEMOIR. 

the  character  of  irreligious  wits.  In  a  very  benevolent  epistle,  which 
announces  his  intention  to  expose  the  low  and  disreputable  nature  of 
a  certain  assault  upon  him,  the  kind-hearted  writer  blunders  into  the 
nervous  assertion,  that  he  shall  take  «« notice  of  a  number  of  things  " 
tending  to  make  his  assailant  "ashamed,  and  render  him  mean,  and 
even  ridiculous,  in  the  eyes  of  the  public."  He  obviously  meant 
something  less  intense  than  what  he  said. 

No  one  can  rightly  estimate  Dr.  Hopkins  as  n  theologian,  with 
out  considering  this  fault  of  his  rhetoric.  There  is  often  an  oaken 
strength,  a  compressed  energy,  a  real  pith,  in  his  style  ;  a  vigor  and 
compactness  of  single  phrases,  a  fulness  and  not  nnfrcquent  richness 
as  well  as  force  of  expression  ;  but  there  is  oftener  an  inelegant  and 
cumbrous  arrangement  of  terms,  a  tedious  verbosity,  interchanging 
itself  strangely  with  some  most  concise  utterances;  and  above  all, 
there  is  an  infelicitous  use  of  harder  and  harsher  words  than  he 
would  have  selected,  had  he  examined  more  minutely  the  "  distinc 
tions  of  sound."  These  unhappy  words  tended  to  prejudice  many 
against  his  discourses,  ami  they  .still  deter  many  from  a  patient  study 
of  his  speculations. 

The  intellectual  powers  of  this  youthful  preacher  betokened  his 
•eminent  usefulness  in  the  church.  He  was  distinguished  for  his  re 
tentive  memory.  When,  in  mature  life,  he  was  asked  to  explain  any 
prominent  passage  in  the  Bible,  he  could  not  only  repeat  it,  but  also 
its  preceding  and  succeeding  context,  and  could  add  a  statement 
of  the  opinions  expressed  upon  it  by  Bishop  Newton,  Flavel,  Baxter, 
Gtiysc,  Doddridge,  and  all  the  most  noted  commentators.  Still,  his 
genius  did  not  promise  the  highest  success  in  the  pulpit.  As  his 
literary  tasto  had  received  but  little  culture,  so  his  imagination  was 
less  vigorous  and  active  than  is  needed  for  popular  oratory.  He 
was  at  home  in  meditating  on  abstract  truth,  and  he  seldom  wan 
dered  among  the  beautiful  illustrations  of  it.  His  soul  was  on  the 
loftiest  topics,  and  it  was  difficult  for  him  to  come  down  to  the 
familiar  processes  nf  lower  minds.  His  habits  of  abstraction  were 
fitted  to  remove  the  style  of  his  preaching  beyond  the  sympathies  of 
undisciplined  thinkers.  He  was  a  philosopher  and  a  logician  ;  and 
how  difficult  it  is  for  such  a  man  to  become  u  fervid  exhortcr  !  His 
mental  tendencies  and  hit*  college  habits  indicated  that  he  would 
adopt  an  abstruse  manner  of  preaching;  and  after  he  had  been  in- 
the  ministry  about  fifty  years,  Dr.  Ashbel  Crcen  says  of  him,  "  1 
have  had  queries  with  myself  whether  his  abstruse  manner  of  preach 
ing  has  not  contributed  to  drive  his  people  from  him."*  Medita 
tive  and  grave,  he  seemed  to  live  above  the  world ;  but  the  world 
claims  of  its  favorites  that  they  come  down  lower.  One  who  now 
lives  to  remember  and  honor  him  saye,  "  Whenever  he  met  me  in 

*  Grccn'i  Life,  p.  *IO. 


MEMOIR.  31 

my  childhood,  as  I  passed  his  house  to  my  school,  he  inquired  for 
ray  name,  and  the  name  of  my  father ;  but  never  seemed  to  notice 
my  answers  so  as  to  recollect  them,  but  appeared  to  be  lost  ?'n  diuin- 
tVy."  This  last  phrase  happily  describes  his  appearance  as  he 
ascended  the  pulpit.  He  looked  as  if  he  was  lost  in  divinity,  when 
children  and  mothers  in  his  audience  longed  for  a  warmer  glow  of 
fellow-feeling  with  poor,  frail  humanity* 

In  this  respect,  however,  his  appearance  did  injustice  to  his  in 
most  heart.  He  was  a  man  of  the  most  earnest  philanthropy.  The 
ensuing  Memoir  is  a  history  of  his  beneficence.  His  Jove  to  his  race 
was  comprehensive.  It  looked  forward  to  the  end  of  things.  It 
made  him  faithful  in  reproof;  still,  this  kind  of  fidelity  did  not 
promise  to  make  him  a  favorite  with  the  masses.  His  kindly  feel 
ing  led  him  to  become  a  plain-spoken  man ;  but  will  not  such  a  man 
have  enemies  1  lie  was  inwardly  and  thoroughly  honest :  a  .vo-1 
briquet  often  applied  to  him  in  his  later  years,  even  by  his  oppo 
nents,  was,  Old  Sincerity.  Hut  it  has  been  shrewdly  said,  that 
•'  strict  honesty  is  an  obstacle  to  one  who  would  press  through 
crowds."  He  hail  withal  a  remarkable  degree  of  native  modesty, 
which  his  friends  would  love,  but  which  would  indispose  him  to 
force  bis  way  to  the  high  places  of  the  earth.  Even  in  recording 
his  own  age,  he  would  betray  his  lowly  estimate  of  himself.  "  I  suj>- 
pose,"  he  writes  on  one «of  his  Fast-Saturdays,  September  17, 17-M, — 
"  I  suppose"  —  and  did  not  the  good  man  really  know?  —  "  that  I  am 
this  day  twenty-two  years  old,  and  that  this  is  my  birthday."  Such 
native  lowliness  laid  a  firm  basis  for  his  Christian  humility,  which 
was,  perhaps,  his  most  prominent  virtue.  While  it  ever  led  him  to 
disparage  himself,  it  promised  success  to  his  inquiries  after  truth. 
Only  that  man  is  fitted  for  sacred  studies,  who  feels  his  urgent  need 
of  them.  The  Most  High  dwells  in  the  heart  of  the  contrite,  and 
prospers  the  efforts  of  those  who  renounce  themselves  for  him. 

It  appears,  then,  that  Hopkins  had  reasons  for  persevering  in  the 
ministry,  although  he  had  several  characteristics  which  interfered 
with  the  popularity  of  his  preaching.  His  first  reception  among  tho 
churches  was  also  fitted  to  encourage,  although  not  to  Hatter  him. 
Having  a  strong  mind,  and  strong  feelings,  he  often  expressed  them 
in  strong  language,  and  he  thus  affected  strong  men.  His  influence 
on  vigorous  minds  was  greater  than  on  feeble;  but  ho  sometimes 
moved  the  masses.  Thus  he  writes  about  six  weeks  after  he  began 
to  speak  in  public  :. 

"July  H,  1741.  I  have  this  day  rodo  from  [North]  Hampton  to  Suffiold,  in 
order  to  preach.  By  tho  way,  I  was  much  drawn  out  in  ardent  desires  that 
God  would  go  with  me,  and  that  I  might  do  something  for  his  honor.  I  heard 
two  sermons,  and,  being  desired,  I  preached  a  third.  The  power  of  tho  Lord 
came  down,  and  many  of  his  children  were  filled  with  tho  Holy  Ghost.  I  had 
a  freedom  in  speaking  which  I  never  had  before.  I  could  not  bo  heard  all 


32  MEMOIR, 

over  the  meeting-house,  by  reason  of  the  outcries  of  the  people.  O,  wonder 
ful  that  tho  Lord  should  nmko  me  his  instrument  to  feed  his  lambs! 

"  Being  desired,  I  preached  again,  this  night,  at  the  house  where  I  lodged  ; 
many  people  camo  to  hear  tho  word,  and  wo  had  the  divine  presence; — many 
Christiana  were  sweetly  refreshed." 

March  2.f>,  17-1'J,  he  says:  "Was  a  little  raised  this  morning,  by  reading  in 
Pilgrim's  Progress  and  conversing  with  Homo  Christian  friends.  I  had  some- 
tiling  of  liberty  and  freedom  in  speaking,  but  no  great  matter  of  a  feeling 
sense  of  divine  truths.  The  people  were  attentive,  and  many  seemed  to  be 
affected.  Some  Christiana  were  so  affected  as  to  cry  out  in  sermon  time." 

It  is  evident  that  this  young  candidate  was  regarded  as  a  man  of 
promise,  for  he  liad  an  uncommon  number  of  invitations  to  preach, 
in  view  of  n  settlement.  Five  of  these  he  declined  at  once.  He 
thus  describes  his  services  at  one  place,  where,  perhaps,  lie  ought  to 
have  remained : 

"In  the  beginning  of  December,  171*3,  I  wns  invited  to  preach  at  Syms- 
bury,  in  Connecticut,  to  a  considerable  congregation,  who  hud  lately  lost  their 
minister;  where  I  continued  preaching  most  of  tho  time  till  the  next  May. 
The  greater  part  of  the  people  appeared  attentive,  and  in  Home  measure  en- 
gaged  in  religion ;  but  there  were  some  opposers  of  the  late  revival  of  religion, 
and  of  tho  doctrines  which  were  preached,  and  were  much  insisted  upon  by 
the  friends  of  the  revival.  Though  I  refused  to  preach  a*  a  candidate,  hav 
ing  no  inclination  to  settle  in  the  ministry  at  present,  yet  the  town  insisted 
upon  having  a  meeting  to  sec  if  they  would  give  me  a  call  to  settle  in  the 
work  of  the  ministry  among  them.  When  they  met,  it  appeared  that  one  hun 
dred  voted  to  give  me  a  call,  and  that  thirty  voted  against  it.  I  told  them 
that  I  hud  no  thought  of  settling  in  the  ministry  at  present;  but  if  I  hud,  I 
thought  their  want  of  unanimity,  and  the  number  of  opposers.  wan  a  sutlicient 
reason  for  not  complying  with  their  request  I  therefore  leil  them,  and  went 
to  Northampton,  with  a  view  to  pursue  my  studies  for  a  longer  time  with  Mr. 
F,d  wards."  * 

Dr.  Patten  narrates,  tint  while  Hopkins  yet  remained  a  candidate,  ho 
preached  a  sermon  before  an  association  of  ministers,  from  the  "text,  Phil.  ii. 
1VJ,  Kl:  'Work  out  your  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling;  for  it  is  God 
\vhich  workcth  in  you  both  to  will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.1  Instead 
of  the.  common  construction,  that  wo  are  to  understand,  by  'fear  and  trem 
bling,'  that  terror  which  tho  sinner  experiences  when  convinced  of  sin,  und 
awakened  to  a  view  of  tho  punishment  to  which  he  is  exposed,  and  by  '  work 
ing  out  his  salvation,'  those  exertions  he  is  to  make  in  obtaining  an  interest 
in  Christ,  he  considered  'fear  and  trembling' to  denote  that  deep  humility 
which  is  implied  in  n,  sense  of  dependence  <>n  (iod,  corresponding  to  tho  ex 
pression,  'for  it  is  (iod  which  worketh  in  you  to  will  und  to  do;'  it  not  being  u 
terror,  but  an  encouragement  to  the  soul,  to  realize  its  dependence  on  the  (Jod 
of  grace,  and  that  this  humility  or  sense  of  dependence  ought  to  be  exercised 
in  all  that  is  willed  or  done  in  the  work  of  salvation,  till  tho  work  is  finished, 
and  complete  salvation  is  obtained.  After  their  return  from  meeting,  one  of 
the  ministers  said  to  Mr.  Hopkins,  'You  have  given  a  strange  explanation  of 
that  text  I  do  not  approve  of  it'  But  Mr.  Edwards  came  up  and  said,  'I 
believe  he  haw  given  the  true  meaning.'  This  was  more  in  the  scale  than 
the  censure  of  the  other  minister,  more  than  though  ail  the  rest  had  com 
mended  him."  \ 

*  Skrtrhe*.  etc.,  pp.  4>r>,  1C. 

t  Patteu's  Reminiscences,  pp.  2i),  30. 


MEMOIR,  33 


SKCT.  VIII.    ORDINATION  AT  ROUSATONICK,  OR  GREAT 
HARRINGTON, 

It  was  with  tho  disinterestedness  of  a  missionary,  that  after  re 
fusing  various  applications  from  other  and  better  places,  Hopkins 
complied  with  a  request  to  preach  at  Housatonick.*     In  1740,  this 
parish  was  incorporated,  with  tho  name  of  the  «« Second  Parish  in 
Sheffield."     In  1701,  it  was  incorporated  as  a  town,  with  the  name 
of  (Jreat  Harrington.     It  is   now  the  residence  of  an  enterprising 
and  cultivated  population.     Its  natural   scenery  is  charming.     Mr. 
William  Cullcn  Bryant,  once  an  inhabitant  of  tho  place,  lias  celebrat 
ed  its  woodlands  and  waters,  in   his  poem  on  Monument  Mountain. 
That   noble  mountain   stood  there,  indeed,  and  the   streams  flowed 
around  it,  when  Hopkins  first  visited  the  town ;  but  he  found  there 
a    class  of  residents    far    inferior    to   their    successors.     They   still 
called  their  parish  by  its  Indian   namo,   Ilousatonick.      They  had 
resided  thirteen  years  in  the  place  without  a  settled  minister.     They 
were  marked  by  that  character  which  we  may  expect  to  find  in  a 
border  town.     Then  the  place   was  on  the  frontiers   of  American 
civilization.     There  were  but  six  other  white  settlements  in  Berk 
shire  county.     It  had  withal  no  flattering  prospects  of  increase,  for 
it  was  dreaded  by  some  on  account  of  its  proximity  to  the  Dutch 
settlements  along  the  Hudson,  by  others  on  account  of  its  exposure 
to  the  Indian  tribes  from  the  north.     Its  yeomen  often  went  to  meet 
ing  with  their  guns  on  their  shoulders.     Was  this  the  parish  for  an 
argumentative  preacher  like  Hopkins  1     He  had  been  trained,  and 
bis  habits  fitted  him  to  live,  among  a  more  meditative  people.     He 
denied  himself  in  going  to  Ilousatonick,  just  as  a  scientific  scholar 
now  crosses  his  natural  inclinations  in  settling  over  a  small,  unprom 
ising  parish  in  Iowa.     The  best  part  of  Hopkins's  life  wns  spent  in 
what  was,  to  all  intent,  a  missionary  field.      His  writings  came  from 
the  heart  of  a  missionary.      When  he  went  to  Ilousntonick,  it  con 
tained  but  thirty  families.     Of  these  several  were  Dutch.     The  very 
names   of  some   of  the   early   settlers,   .loachim   Van  Valkenburgh, 
Isaac  Van  Douseu,  Conrad  and   Hendrick  Burglmrdt,  Meese  Hogo- 
boom,  etc,.,  indicated  that  an  advocate  of  "  strict  communion  "  and 
an  opposer  of  the   "half-way  covenant"  would  have  a  perilous  min 
istry  among  them..    The  adversaries  of  this  self-denying  missionary 
(as  lie  was  in  fact,  although  not  in  form)  often  say  that  he  preached 
his  people  rfotrn  •  his  own  Journal   proves  how  high  his  people  had 
been  itj>.     He  went  to  Ilousatonick  in  June,  171-3,  and  he  writes  thus 
011  the  1st  of  tho  next  August : 

"Took  ;i  walk  to-d;iy  in  tho  woods,  mid  as  I  returned,  went  into  tho  tavern. 
Found  a  number  of  men  there,  who  I  believe  hnd  butter  bcca  somewhere  else. 

*  Wo   follow,   iu    tho   present    Memoir,  Mr.    Ilopkins's    orthography  for  this  woril, 
although  his  undo,  in  tho  book  already  noticed,  writes  Ifousatnnnuk. 


MEMOIR. 


34 

Sonxs  were  disguised  by  drink.  It  appeared  to  be  a  solemn  place.  The  cir 
cumstances  of  this  place  appear  more  and  more  dreadful  to  mo.  There  scorns 
to  bo  no  religion  hero.  If  I  did  not  tliink  I  had  a  call  here,  I  should  be  quite 
discouraged.  —  August  23,  Iluve  been  much  exercised  to-day  with  the  head- 
nche,  and  feel  otherwise  indisposed.  I  suspect  I  mn  about  to  have  the  fever 
and  ague,  a  distemper  which  few  escape  who  live  in  this  town. 

"  Sunday,  August  28.  I  have  had  a  fit  of  the  fever  and  ague  this  afternoon. 
I  was  taken  with  the  ague  between  two  and  three  o'clock.  I  mistrust  I  had  a 
fit  every  day  but  one  last  week,  though  in  a  lower  degree.  —  August  30.  Have 
had  another  lit  to-day.  It  began  after  two  o'clock,  I  believe.  It  is  very  te 
dious  to  bear  the  pain.  I  find  I  wont  patience,  This  pain  made  me  tliink  of 
everlasting  pains.  It  would  seem  dreadful  to  bear  forever  the  pain  I  felt; 
what  then  will  it  bo  to  live  in  hell  to  all  eternity!  —  September  17.  I  had 
no  lit  last  night,  which  i.s  the  first  that  has  missed.  I  am  in  hopes  I  shall 
have  no  more.  I  have  had  nineteen  formal  fits,  one  after  another,  without 
missing  a  day,  and  five  at  first  which  were  hard,  though  I  had  not  much  ague. 
—  September  30.  Rode  HO  far  as  Mr.  Ilubbard's,  to-day,  and  back  again. 
My  fitd  continue  yet.  The  people  here  have  given  me  a  call  to  settle  among 
them,  and  have  voted  to  give  me  sixty  pounds,  lawful  money,  for  settlement) 
and  thirty-five  pounds  salary  the  first  year,  and  then  add  twenty  shillings 
every  year,  till  it  arises  to  forty-five  pounds.  The  committee  was  with  me 
this  night,  and  I  objected  against  the  settlement,  us  not  enough  to  build  a 
house  and  barn.  [The  amiable  modesty  of  this  reason  will  be  appreciated 
by  the  reader,  when  he  compares  the  situation  of  Mr.  Hopkins  at  Great 
Harrington  with  the  situation  of  other  ministers  at  that  time.  One  of  his 
townsmen,  his  bosom  friend,  his  classmate  in  college,  and  also  his  cousin, 
Rev.  Jonathan  Judd,  had  been  ordained  at  Southampton,  Mass.,  on  the  8th 
of  June,  1743,  about  three  months  previous  to  llopkins's  cull,  and  'had  for 
a  settlement  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  one  hundred  pounds,  old  tenor,  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  pounds,  old  tenor,  to  bo  expended  in  work  on 
his  house.'  Ilia  salary,  for  the  first  three  years,  was  one  hundred  and  thirty 
pounds,  old  teuor,  per  annum ;  and  five  pounds  a  year  to  bo  added  till  it 
reached  one  hundred  and  seventy  pounds.  At  the  next  meeting,  it  was  voted 
to  give  him  his  wood,  'and  wo  will  give  him  more,  according  to  our  ability.'  * 
These  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  in  the  rich  but  then  new  township  of  South 
ampton,  were  miflicicnt  for  the  support  of  a  minister's  family.  The  parish 
ioners  of  Mr.  Judd,  moreover,  had  been  trained  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Mr. 
Edwards,  of  Northampton,  and  continued  to-cnjoy  his  occasional  ministrations.] 

"  Sunday,  October  2.  Preached  in  the  forenoon  at  my  lodging.  —  Had  a 
fit  of  the  fever  and  ague  this  afternoon.  I  have  now  had  thirty -two  fits. — 
November  25,  17-13.  (iiive  my  answer  to-day  to  this  people,  and  have  con- 
K'Mited  to  stay  among  them  in  the  work  of  the  ministry ;  they  are  very  uniini- 
moiiH  in  desiring  me  to  settle  among  them.  The  day  of  ordination,  if  Clod 
p"rmit,  will  bo  on  the  21st  of  next  month. 

"jStimlay,  December  1 1.  Preached  to-day  from  Isa.  50 :  11.  Was  very  bar 
ren  and  dry  nil  day.  It  seems  to  be  always  BO  with  me  of  lato.  I  have  been 
very  much*  shut  up  ever  since  I  have  been  among  thin  people.  They  are  a 
very  wicked  people,  but  I  can't  tell  them  of  it. —  December  1-1.  Had  a  fust 
to-(lny  previous  to  thn  ordination.  Mr.  Huhbard,  Mr.  Sergeimt,  and  Mr.  Jen- 
neson  were  hern.  Mr.  Sergennt  miule  the  first  prnyer.  Mr.  Hublmrd  was  to 
g'llher  ihe  eluirvh,  but  there  did  not  a  HUll'icient  number  oiler  themselves,  wo 
that  that  business  is  nut  by  till  the  ordination.  I. feel  very  much  discouraged 
about  entering  into  the  work  of  the  ministry.  They  are  a  contentious  people, 
and  I  fear  I  am  no  way  qualified  for  such  a  work. 

"  December  23,  17 13.  Have  rode  out  to-day  to  see  who  would  bo  embodied 
and  join  with  tho  church  to  be  gathered  by  (jod's  permission,  on  the  ordina 
tion  day.  I  find  some  people  very  backward,  and  ono  told  mo  he  did  not  like 

*  American  Quarterly  Register,  vol.  x.  p.  3%. 


MEMOIR.  35 

my  preaching  because  I  told  oeople  to  come  to  Christ,  but  never  told  thorn 
how  to  como.  I  have  wondered  that  they'uaid  nothing  against  my  preaching 
before,  but  I  believe  the  more  is  to  come.  The  way  looks  very  dark  before 
me.  I  am,  it  is  most  probable,  going  to  run  myself  into  innumerable  difficul 
ties  by  settling  among  this  people.  I  dare  not  [say]  that  there  is  one  male 
Christian  among  them,  and  most  of  them  fare]  opposers  to  divine  grace  nnd 
the  power  of  godliness.  —  Saturday,  December  24.  I  have  fasted  in  secret  to 
day. —  Have  had  some  unusual  assistance  and  enlargement.  My  courage  is 
increased  about  settling  here  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  being  willing  to  go 
M'here  God  calls  mo,  knowing  that  this  life  is  not  the  place  for  happiness.  I 
must  wait  for  that,  till  I  launch  into  eternity,  and  leave  my  corruptions  behind. 
I  hope  God  hath  this  day  given  mo  strength  to  desire  his  presence  in  the 
great  work  of  the  ministry.  —  December  28.  I  have  this  day  publicly  and 
visibly  given  myself  up  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  being  solemnly  set  apart 
to  that  employment,  though  I  have  reason  to  be  ashamed  that  I  have  done  it 
no  more  heartily.  The  Lord  forgive  mo.  [This  was  his  ordination  day.  He 
wns  now  twenty-two  years  and  three  months  old.]  —  December  2!).  This  day 
most  of  the  gentlemen  that  assisted  in  my  ordination  set  out  home,  and  here 
I  am  left  engaged  in  a  great  work.  O  that  I  might  be  faithful  unto  the 
death ! " 

Tn  the  Life  of  David  Brainerd,  (Dwight's  edition,  p.  1H7,)  we  rend:  "De 
cember  28,  [17-W.J  Rode  about  six  miles  to  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Hopkins. 
At  the  solemnity  I  was  somewhat  affected  with  a  sense  of  the  greatness  and 
importance  of  the  work  of  a  minister  of  Christ.  Afterwards  was  grieved  to 
sec  the  vanity  of  the  multitude.  In  the  evening,  spent  a  little  time  with  some 
Christian  friends,  with  some  degree  of  satisfaction ;  but  most  of  the  timo  I  had 
rather  have  been  alone." 


SECT.  IX.    Mil.  HOPKINS  IN  HIS  PAROCHIAL  LABOR. 

Gloomy  as  his  forebodings  had  been,  Hopkins  at  length  succeeded 
in  collecting  five  persons  to  unite  in  forming  Ins  church.  On  his 
ordination  day,  John  and  Jonah  Pixley,  James  Sexton,  Asahcl  King, 
and  Jonathan  Nasli,  with  himself  as  their  pastor,  were  constituted  a 
church  in  this  wilderness.*  How  faithfully  lie  labored  for  this  fuchlo 
band,  and  with  how  much  of  a  missionary  spirit  lie  struggled  against 
the  untoward  influences  of  his  parish,  may  be  inferred  from  the 
following  passages  of  his  Journal : 

"  August  28,  174-1.  This  evening  I  have  had  unusual  freedom  in  prayer 
Had  some  sense  of  the  miserable  state  of  my  people,  and  some  wrestlings  for 
them.  Was  enabled  to  give  myself  up  afresh  to  Christ,  taking  him  with  his 
cross,  being  heartily  willing,  if  I  might  have  his  presence,  to  undergo  all  pos 
sible  hardships  anil  trials.  Was  enabled  with  a  holy  scorn  to  trample  upon 
and  despise  the  world,  with  all  created  good.  I  linve  taken  some  pains  to 
prevent  there  being  a  tavern  here  next  year;  for  which  Home  nre  offended 
with  me,  yea,  even  rage  at  me,  I  have  felt  for  twenty-four  bourn  a  calm  in 
my  own  breast,  respecting  that,  fully  acquiescing  in  the  will  of  God  concern 
ing  it;  and  I  was  pniibled  tins  evening,  especially,  to  commit  this  matter  to  God, 
and  I  choose  bis  will  should  be  done,  whatever  it  is.  [Thus  it  appears  that 
Hopkins  began  early  to  be  a  reformer.]  —  November  20.  Visited  four  Dutch 
families  to-day.  I  fear  they  have  not  much  true  religion  among  them.  I 
asked  one,  if  she  thought  «he  could  Have  herself.  She  answered,  'I  don't 

*  Many  of  those  facts  ore  found  in  "  A  History  of  the  County  of  Berkshire,"  nnd  in 
Barber's  "  Historical  Collection!  of  Massachusetts." 


36  MEMOIR. 

know,  —  I  will  try.'  This  is  the  very  language  of  the  natural  man,  though 
all  don't  speak  it  out.  —  April  3,  1745.  Have  been  very  much  discouraged, 
and  things  look  very  dark  to  me,  ever  since  I  came  from"  Northampton  last, 
I  have  inward  difficulties  and  outward  troubles  which  are  too  great  for  me, 
so  tli at  I  go  mourning  all  the  day.  I  oilen  fear  I  have  no  call  among  this 
people,  and  this  day  am  almost  determined  to  leave  them ;  yea,  to  leave  otT 
preaching.  My  inward  burdens  and  troubles  are  inexpressible^  almost.  Here 
is  a  fust  to-morrow,  and  1  cannot  think  of  any  tiling  to  say  to  the  people. 

"Sunday,  April  7.  Preached  to-day  from  Phil,  iii.  18,  IS).  Had.  some 
liberty  in  speaking  in  the  forenoon,  but  was  enabled  to  speak  with  moro 
warmth,  vigor,  and  closeness  this  allcrnoon.  I  hope  some  one.  was  smitten 
by  the  word.  —  Sunday,  April  28.  Preached  to-day.  Had  sonic  freedom 
of  speech,  8(d  71071  prascnttam  Dei. —  Sunday,  May  12.  Administered  the 
sacrament.  I  have  necn  very  much  sunk  in  my  mind  to-day  and  yesterday. 
Began  to  caterhi/,0  the  children  in  public. 

"Sunday,  August  4.  Went  to  meeting  in  the  forenoon.  It  ruining  very 
hard,  but  few  people  wero  there;  therefore  only  prayed,  sung,  und  read  a 
chapter.  Prencheu  P.  M.  from  Rom.  vi.  5211,  withouj  much  freedom. 

"July  25,  174!>.  Had  freedom  in  secret  prayer  this  evening.  I  think  I  can 
safely  appeal 'to  (lod,  and  solemnly  declare,  before  him,  that  I  desire  his 
smiles,  and  acceptance  in  his  sight,  above  all  things  else;  that  I  had  rather 
be  stripped  of  every  worldly  comfort  than  to  be  without  this;  vea,  without 
this  all  the  world  is  nothing.  I  nm  also  conscious  before  God  that  I  am  sincere 
(though,  alas!  shamefully  deficient)  in  tho  great  work  I  have  undertaken,  tmd 
have  never  declined  that  which  I  seriously  thoughts  as  for  the  spiritual  good  of 
my  people, for  any  worldly  interest.  —  May  8,  175M.  Visited  II.  I),  to-day,  who 
is  very  wick,  and  is  not  like  to  continue  long  ;  her  sister,  K,  came  out  of  the  door 
after  me,  appearing  tenderly  concerned  about  herself;  desired  me  to  pray  for 
her,  which  1  endeavored  to  do  when  I  got  into  my  closet  at  home,  and  was 
enabled  to  crv  to  (jod  for  mercy  for  her  soul  with  freedom  and  importunity. 
I  cannot  but  Iiope.  that  (lod  enabled  me  to  ask  converting  grace  for  her;  and 
I  humbly  hope  no  will,  in  his  time  and  way,  give  it.  (),  what  a  sweet  duty 
is  intercession,  when  it  is  done  in  faith  with  the  whole  heart!  Every  fervent 
intercessor  has  his  reward  pinil  doirn,  nnd  hi*  prayer  immediately  returns 
into  his  own  bosom.  —  May!*.  This  day  II.  J).  died.  She  was  a  desirabln 
youth,  und  hopefully  converted  a  few  weeks  before  nho  was  taken  siek;  and 
(jod  wan  pleased  to  make  me  a  in<>an  of  awakening  her,  which  I  esteem 
a  greater  favor  thnn  if  he  had  given  me  the  whole  world.  This  is  the  first 
that  I  have  evidence  of  the  conversion  of,  since  I  have  been  in  the  place; 
and  surely  it  is  well  worth  while  to  preach  seven  years  (which  is  the  time 
I  have  been  here)  to  be  any  ways  instrumental  of  the  conversion  of  one 

BOUl. 

"December  28,  1751.  This  day  finishes  eleven  years  Hince  I  wns  or 
dained  to  tho  work  of  the  ministry.  How  poorly  it  has  been  spent,  (Jod 
knows!  Have  had  no  success!  Have  reason  to  be  greatly  ashamed.  Kept 
a  secret  fast.  (Jod  only  known  my  misery. 

u  November  (>,  175."). —  A  young  woman  came  to  me  this  day,  who  lives  in 
the  parish,  with  a  countenance  solomni/.cd  nnd  dejected.  She  says  she  )ms 
been  concerned  for  her  soul  near  half  a  year,  but  in  a  much  higher  degree 
about  three  weeks  past ;  that  for  two  or  three  nights  past,  she  hud  little  [sleep] 
or  none  ;  that  to-day,  as  she  had  been  some  time  alone  praying,  to  that  degree 
of  cngagodness  that  she  knew  not  where  she  was,  she  seemed  to  hear  Christ 
himself  speak  these  words  to  her,  '  Come  unto  mo,' &c.,  which  was  accom 
panied  with  such  power  to  her  soul,  that  she  hopes  she  was  enabled  to 
believe  on  Christ.  1  hope  she  is  born  again,  but  urn  not  without  fears.  May 
the  kind  Redeemer  prevent  her  being  deluded. 

"Lord's  Day,  December  2!>,  1755.  Was  sent  for,  in  the  intermission 

to-day,  to  go  and  see  .  Tho  messenger  said  she  wns  dying ;  but 

when  I  came  there,  I  found  her  full  of  joy  and  comfort,  supposing  she  had 


MEMOIR.  3? 

had  saving  discoveries  of  Chrirt.  She  admired  the  good  new  of  God,  and 
called  upon  all  to  praise  him.  Upon  examining  her,  I  WM  satisfied  that  she 
was  deceived ;  that  it  was  only  the  workings  of  her  imagination.  She  was 
confident;  but  I  told  her  my  fears.  How  exposed  to  the  delusions  of  the 
devil  are  ignorant  persons!  especially  those  whoso  understanding  is  shat 
tered,  and  their  imagination  lively  by  a  fever. 

"Monday,  November  1,  1750.  Attended  the  funeral  of  Sergeant  John 
PLxlcy,  who  died  last  night  about  nino  o'clock.  Asahel  King  and  John 
Pixley  wore  members  of  this  churcix,  und  both  friendly  to  mo  and  to  the 
interest  of  religion,  [rind]  were  aomo  of  the  moHt  constant  attendera  on  public 
worship.  Asahol  King  was  a  man  of  more  than  common  good  sense,  and 
promised  to  bo  a  useful  man  in  church  and  state.  I  and  the  interest  of 
religion  have  received  a  greater  loss  in  his  death  than  [we  should  have 
received,  perhaps,  in  the  loss  of  any  other.]  I  have  in  him  lost  my  greatest 
and  ablest  friend  in  this  place.  A  prince  is  fallen,  and  I  am  weak. 

The  preceding  quotations  indicate  the  high  standard  of  Christian 
character,  and  the  habit  of  plain  dealing,  for  which  the  pastor  of 
Great  Harrington  was  noted,  and  by  which  lie  gained  littlo  popu 
larity  with  the  multitude.  lie  told  men  just  what  be  thought  of 
them.  On  one  occasion,  a  friend  cnmc  to  him,  and  described  "  a 
great  CONVERSION,"  of  which  be  had  recently  boon  the  subject.  Mr. 
Hopkins  said  to  bin)  :  "  After  several  seasons  of  great  excitement 
and  life,  and  several  of  depression,  you  will  probably  give  up  all 
your  hope,  and  trithin  tiro  r/ftfr.s,  or  perhaps  our,  you  will  be  trortr  than 
ever.  (Jo  now,  I  bog  of  you,  and  become  truly  penitent  for  your 
sins."  The  predicted  apostasy  took  place.  Hut,  after  a  few  years, 
the  same  friend  revisited  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  mourned  over  his  own 
sinfulness,  and  wondered  that  be  did  not  love  the  divine  character, 
which  appeared  so  amiable.  "Ah,"  naid  the  sagacious  pastor,  "you 
will  not  get  rid  of  this  in  six  months.  Your  raising  (iod  one  minute, 
and  depressing  yourself  the  next,  —  your  alternately  exalting  bis  law, 
and  falling  down  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  —  seem  to  indicate  that  (rod's 
Spirit  has  been  with  you."  And  so  it  was.  Mr.  Hopkins's  "power 
of  detecting  the  symptoms  of  religious  decline,  and  of  determining 
the  true  state  of  the  heart,  formed  one  of  the  distinguishing  qualifi 
cations  of  bis  pastoral  character.  It  was  this  that  made  him  the  spir 
itual  advisor  of  so  many ;  and  that  induced  clergymen  at  a  distance 
to  refer  to  him,  so  frequently,  doubtful  cases  of  church  discipline."* 

Here  we  see  another  point  of  resemblance  between  the  pastor  of 
Housatoniek  and  bis  theological  instructor.  In  bis  Memoir  of  that 
instructor,  the  pupil  says  jnst  what  we  may  say  of  Hopkins  himself: 
"  In  this  world,  so  full  of  darkness  and  delusion,  it  is  of  great  im 
portance  that  all  should  be  able  to  distinguish  between  true  religion 
and  that  which  is  false.  In  this,  perhaps,  none  has  taken  more 
pains,  or  labored  more  successfully,  than  be  whose  life  is  set  before 
the  reader."  f 

-p.*  See  Fer^nmon'»  Memoir  of  Hopkins,  pp.  1 36-139. 
M  Hopkins'*  Preface  to  his  Memoir  of  Kdwards,  p.  4,  Edinburgh  edition. 

d 


38  MEMOIR. 


SBCT.  X.    EXTEMPORANEOUS  AND  EXPOSITOEY  PREACHING. 

The  opposers  of  Dr.  Hopkins  have  supposed  him  to  be  devoid  of 
mental  versatility,  and  have  inferred,  from  his  metaphysical  tastes, 
that  ho  preached  elaborate  disquisitions  rather  than  practical  ser 
mons,  and  wrote  his  discourses  for  the  press  rather  than  for  his 
audience.  He  doubtless  was  tempted  to  do  so,  but  was  too  consci 
entious  to  comply  with  the  temptation.  It  is  interesting  to  notice 
how  many  expedients  he  tried  to  edify  his  hearers,  and  how  often 
his  mind  oscillated  with  regard  to  the  most  effective  style  of  public 
discourse.  lie  writes,  on  the  2d  of  March,  17-13,  ten  months  after 
his  liccnsure  to  preach : 

"  Erpoundrd  thin  night  at  my  lodging.  Was  very  low  and  dull  all  day,  so 
that  I  could  not  study ;  but  just  before  tho  exercise  began,  I  thought  of  this 
place,  Isaiah  xl.  5,  &c.  Had  words  put  into  my  mouth  strangely,  though  not 
with  such  a  feeling  sense  as  sometimes.  Who  would  not  trust  in  the  Lord? 

"  Housatonick,  July  5,  17-1U.  [Ailor  preaching  a  sermon  before  Rev.  Mr. 
Sergeant,  predecessor  of  Edwards  at  Stockbridge,  Hopkins  says:]  I  perceive 
that  Mr.  Sergeant  was  not  well  pleased  with  it.  He  made  several  objections 
against  it  to  me,  and  though  he  did  not  in  plain  words  say  so,  yet  he  evidently 
disliked  my  preaching  without  notes.  It  may  be  that  I  am  in  tho  wrong  in 
thus  doing,  but  I  do  not  sec  it  yet.  O  that  God  would  lead  me  in  the  way  that 
I  should  go ! 

"July  10.  I  have  preached  now  five  Sabbaths  altogether  without  notes, 
and  believe  it  the  best  way  for  me  to  practise  it. 

"  Thursday,  October  4,  1744.  I  prayed  und  preached.  Had  no  freedom 
at  all.  Used  my  notes  pretty  much.  1  something  suspect  I  had  better  fling 
them  quite  by. 

"Sunday,  June  10,  17-15.  Preached  to-day.  Wrote  almost  all  that  I 
preached,  and  read  all  that  I  wrote.  1  pro|K>se  to  preach  a  system  or  body  of 
divinity;  to  lay  open  and  explain  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  tho  gospel  in 
their  order,  and  have  begun  to-day. 

"  Friday,  September  28.  I  was  much  at  a  loss  about  a  subject  to  prcacli 
upon  to-day,  (this  morning ;)  upon  which  I  made  a  prayer  for  direction,  and  in 
my  prayer  these  words  came  to  my  mind,  contained  in  Ex.  xix.  10,  11  ;  upon 
which  I  immediately  made  a  sermon,  and  though  I  hud  no  immediate  or 
special  assistance  in  making  or  preaching  it,  yet  surely  it  mny  encourage  me 
to  depend  on  (Jod. 

"  1  uesday,  November  4,  1755.  Attended  our  quarterly  lecture.  Finding 
that  but  very  few  people  attended  it,  I  did  not  preach  the  sermon  I  had  pre 
pared  ;  but  as  I  went  into  the  meeting-house,  nobody  being  there,  and  expect 
ing  but  few, .it  being  late,  I  pitched  upon  Mark  x.  iM,  and  extemporized  upon 
it.  There-  wero  but  about  twenty  persons  at  meeting." 

In  his  seventy-fifth  year,  as  he  reviews  the  experiments  of  his 
long  ministerial  life,  he  thus  records  their  results  : 

"  For  forty  yearn  or  more,  since  I  entered  on  thn  work  of  tho  ministry,  1 
bave  made  it  my  practice  to  read  a  chapter  in  the  Uible,  onn  in  the  forenoon, 
and  the  other  in  the  afternoon ;  and  to  say  something  on  the  chapter  by  way 
of  explanation  and  improvement;  in  which  I  have  not  confined  myself  as  to 
the  timo  1  should  spend  upon  it,  but  have  said  more  or  loss,  aa  I  thought 
would  be  nost  instructive  and  edifying.  In  order  to  do  this  in  the  best  man 
ner  I  could,  I  have  attended  to  tho  chapters  to  bo  read  before  tho  Sabbath, 


MEMOIR.  39 

and  consulted  those  expositors  which  were  within  my  reach,  which  has  gen 
erally  cost  me  as  much  time  and  pains  as  the  studying  of  my  sermons.  And 
I  have  thought  this  was  as  profitable  a  part  of  the  public  exercises  as  preach 
ing,  which  has  not  been  neglected  by  thus  reading  and  expounding.  And  I 
have  had  satisfactory  evidence  that  the  hearers,  in  general,  nave  been  pleased 
with,  and  thought  themselves  most  edified  by,  this  practice.  And  I  have  for 
some  years  past  neglected  to  preach  a  sermon,  in  the  common  way,  in  the 
forenoon,  and,  instead  of  it,  have  expounded  and  improved  the  chapter  which 
comes  in  course  in  the  New  Testament.  And  this,  so  far  as  I  can  learn,  has 
.  been  as  acceptable  to  the  congregation  in  general,  aa  preaching  from  one  par 
ticular  text,  if  not  more  so. 

"  I  have  not  been  confined  to  my  notes  in  preaching,  except  for  a  short 
time,  when  I  first  began ;  and  have  not  generally  written  my  sermons  in  full 
length,  but  only  the  heads  of  them,  and  some  short  hinta  to  suggest  ideas, 
which  were  to  be  mentioned  under  the  general  heads.*  I  do  not,  however, 
recommend  this  as  the  best  method.  I  think  it  would  be  best,  in  general,  to 
write  all  the  sermon,  and  commit  it  to  memory ,f  with  an  allowance  to  deviate  in 
Homo  instances  from  what  has  been  written,  and  to  add  to  it  what  may  be  sug 
gested  to  the  mind  in  the  delivery.  If  this  practice  be  diligently  followed  for 
a  time,  the  preacher,  it  is  expected,  will  be  able  not  only  to  preach  without 
notos,  but  his  mind  will  bo  HO  furnished  with  the  knowledge  of  divinity,  that 
he  will  be  able  to  preach  without  writing  his  sermons. 

"  I  have  not  written  the  sermons  which  I  have  preached  for  some  years  past. 
I  have  written  in  this  time  more  on  the  various  subjects  of  divinity  than  in 
former  years,  but  not  in  the  form  of  sermons.  And  I  suppose  that  a  minis 
ter  cannot  improve  his  mind  in  the  best  manner,  and  make  proper  advances  in 
the  knowledge  of  divinity,  unless*  lie  uses  himself  to  write  on  divino  sub 
jects."  I 

The  fact  that  Mr.  Hopkins  persevered  so  long  in  the  extempora 
neous  style  of  address,  which  was  highly  unpopular  among  tho 
preachers  of  his  time,  and  also  the  fact  that,  as  early  as  1755,  ho 
road  a  chapter  of  the  Bible  before  bis  morning  and  bis  afternoon 
«cnnon,$  —  a  practice  which  was  then  denounced  and  shunned  as 
"  Episcopal," — indicate  the  spirit  of  independence  and  of  improve 
ment  which  characterized  the  favorite  pupil  of  Edwards.  If  he 
bad  been  born  an  orator,  bis  extemporaneous  and  expository  practice 
would  have  added  much  to  bis  oratorical*  power.  As  be  was  born 
to  be  a  teacher,  this  practice  made  him  the  more  interesting  to  such 
an  loved  to  be  taught. 

•  Many  of  the  manuscripts  from  which  Hopkins  preached  are  about  three  inches 
square,  and  contain  from  ten  to  twenty  pages,  some  of  thorn  covered  with  his  peculiar 
cipher.  He  xayn  that  1'rcsidcnt  Kd  wards,  during  the  later  years  of  hi*  life,  rocoin- 
mended  the  practice  of  preaching  without  Lolcs  altogether,  but  not  without  writing  tho 
sermons,  which  were  to  be  delivered  in  great  degree-  memoriter. 

t  It  is  very  obvious  that  he  means  to  recommend  this  method  an  tho  best  for  young 
preachers  only,  and  as  capacitating  them  to  preach  afterwards,  without  having  written 
their  sermons. 

\  Hkclchcs,  etc.,  pp.  89-91 

$  Hy  a  record  of  I'rcnideiit  Stile*,  dated  Jnmiary  8,  1771,  il  appear*  that  Dr.  Hop 
kins  was  accustomed,  while  in  Newport,  to  rend  a  chapter  of  tho  Old  Testament  in 
course,  on  Sabbath  morning,  and  a  chapter  of  the  New  Testament  in  count,  on  Sab 
bath  afternoon,  and  to  accompany  the  reading  with  occasional  comments. 


40  MEMOIR. 


SECT.  XI.    INTERFERENCE  OF   COLONIAL  TROUBLES  WITH 
Mil.  HOPKINS'S  MINISTRY. 

To  Q  merely  human  observer,  it  should  seem  that  a  logician,  like 
Hopkins,  ought  not  to  have-  been  stationed  among  a  people  who 
were  trembling  by  night  and  duy  in  fcnr  of  the  Indian  war  whoop, 
and  whoso  Sabbath  worship  even  wan  disturbed  by  military  prepara 
tions.  To  HOW  the  wed  of  the  word  on  a  battle  field  in  discouraging 
to  any  one;  especially  so  to  a  man  of  Ilopkins's  philosophical  tem 
perament.  It  is  no  wonder,  that  such  a  man  eould  not  speak  loud 
enough  to  drown  the  screams  of  women  and  children  frightened  by 
the  noise  of  war.  When  his  opposers  have  triumphed  over  the 
meagre  success  of  his  ministry,  they  have  forgotten  how  much  ho 
did  and  how  much  he  suffered  in  behalf  of  his  country  ;  how  often 
his  parochial  sen  iocs  were  interrupted  by  the  exposure  of  his  fron 
tier  residence  to  the  pen's  of  battle.  Few  ministers  of  the  gospel 
have  sacrificed  more  than  he  for  their  country 'a  welfare.  lie  was  a 
true  patriot.  A  French  and  Indian  war  broke  out  in  1744,  about  a 
year  after  his  ordination,  and  continued  until  1741).  Another  raged 
from  I7.V2  until  17(v'J.  Some  might  suppose  that  Hopkins  was  so 
much  absorbed  in  metaphysics,  as  to  feel  no  interest  in  these  commo 
tions.  Hut  the  following  passages  of  his  Journal  prove  the  contrary, 
and  show  the  importance  of  our  considering  the  interruptions  of  his 
ministry,  when  we  estimate  its  n-Milts  : 

"  Sunday,  July  7,  171.").  Administered  the  sacrament  and  preached  in  the 
afternoon.  A  post,  came  in  sermon  time,  and  brought  news,  that  Cape  Breton 
in  takei\.  Have  concluded  to  go  to  Albany  to-morrow. —  Albany,  July  8. 
Came  licro  to-day  with  S.  King  and  Benjamin  Alvord,  the  post.  The  gentle 
men  of  the,  city  met  us  without  the  gate, and  welcomed  us  in,  being  much  re 
joiced  at  the  good  news  which  wo  brought.  —  July  0.  Staid  in  tlio  city 
to-day,  and,  being  invited,  went  into  the  fort,  where  were  all  the  gentlemen 
of  the  city.  The  guns  were- shot,  and  nil  wen?  treated  with  wine.  Three 
bonfires  were  made.  —  Thursday,  July  IS.  Received  u  proclamation  lor  a 
public,  thanksgiving  this  evening,  on  account  of  oar  success  at  (.'ape  Breton. 
The  day  appointed  was  this,  nnd  is  now  past.  —  August  I.  Kept  this  daif  ns 
a  thanksgiving  on  account  of  success  at  Cape  Breton.  Preached  from  Mai. 
it.  °,.  Had  some  liberty  of  speech.  [A  conscientious  observance,] — October 
•I.  The  gentlemen  from  Hoston,  who  arc  going  to  the  treaty  at.  Albany,  lodge 
hero  to-isight.  —  Sunday,  October  111.  Received  news  by  the  past  to-day, 
Ur.it  the  Indians  hnvc  killed  one  man  nnd  taken  another  on  Connecticut  River. 
—  November  '2%^.  Some  time  after  midnight  last  night,  there  came  u  man  to 
my  lodgingn,  and  crii'd  out  with  all  earnestness,  saying  that  Stockbridgc  was 
beset  and  taken  by  the  Indians  —  that  there,  were  a  multitude  of  them,  able  to 
drive  all  before  them  ;  which  news  was  brought  by  a  couple  of  young  men 
who  had  lied  from  Stockbridgo.  This  news  alarmed  the  whole  house  and  the 
whole  town  in  an  instant.  But  people  were  soon  in  some  measure  calmed,  by 
hearing  that  the  report  was  false  —  that  Stockbridgo  was  not  beset,  though 
they  expected  them  there  every  hour.  This  day  the  most  of  my  people 
moved  otV  into  forts.  Having  none  in  this  place,  I,  with  my  landlord  s  lamily, 
went  down  to  Mr.  Hubbard's,  and  lodge  ia  the  fort  at  Kiisha  Noble's.  —  No 
vember  23.  Had  a  very  poor  lodging  in  tho  fort  Icust  night.  The  house  waa 


MEMOIR.  41 

crowded  with  women  and  children.  There  came  np  yesterday  and  last  night 
above  a  hundred  men  from  Connecticut,  who  returned  to-day,  having  found 
put,  by  a  post  from  Kinderhook,  that  the  story  which  so  alarmed  the  country 
is  false. — Thursday,  December  5.  This  day  being  appointed  for  public 
thanksgiving,  I  preached  from  Psalm  Ivi  12,  13,  without  any  more  sensible 
freedom  tlian  nature  will  afford.  —  Sunday,  December  8.  Went  to  the  fort 
last  night  to  lie,  and  eome  time  in  the  night  news  came  from  Stockbriclgo  that 
a  barn  was  set  on  fire  and  burnt  up,  —  supposed  to  bo  done  by  the  Indians  and 
French,  —  which  made  something  of  an  alarm  among  us.  Went  to  meeting, 
and  preached  but  one  sermon,  from  Matt  x.  28.  Had  some  freedom  in 
prayer  and  preaching.  —  Thursday,  August  14,  1740.  Attended  the  public 
thanksgiving  to-day,  ordered  on  account  of  .the  victory  of  the  Duke  of  Cum 
berland  over  the  rebels  in  Scotland,  gained  April  16.  I  nrenched  from  Prov. 
xi.  10,  with  some  freedom  of  speech. —  Northampton,  Tuoyday,  August  2(J. 
Camo  here  to-day.  Lodge  at  Mr.  Edwards's.  The  Indians  killed  five  men 
and  a  girl  at  Deerfield,  yesterday.  —  Sunday,  September  28.  Have  been 
strongly  urged  to  go  into  the  woods  with  a  scout  of  a  hundred  men,  to  be  gone 
a  fortnight  or  more.  —  Stockbridgc,  Monday,  September  29.  Camo  here  to 
day  from  home,  with  the  design  to  go  in  the  scout  if  Mr.  Sergeant  should  ad 
vise  to  it,  and  with  hid  advice  have  concluded  to  set  out  with  them.  —  Sep 
tember  30.  Sot  out  in  the  afternoon,  with  a  scout  of  one  hundred  white  men 
and  nineteen  Indians,  and  travelled  about  four  miles,  and  then  encamped  by  a 
largo  pond.  I  and  some  others  lodge  in  a  house  before  made  bv  the  Indians. 
—  Pontoosuk,  October  1.  Rose  this  morning  finely  refreshed  in  my  bark 
house,  for  which  I  was  in  a  measure  thankful  to  God,  who  can  give  health 
when  means  are  wanting.  Drank  a  dish  of  tea  in  an  Indian  spoon,  made  in 
a  tin  pot  Ono  man  returned  to  Stockbridge,  being  out  of  health.  It  rained 
last  night,  and  looked  likely  to  rain  to-day  ;  but  we  sot  out,  and  have  arrived 
safe  to  Pontoosuk.  It  began  to  rain  before  we  got  here ;  but  thero  being  a 
house  made  before,  a  firo  was  directly  built,  and  wo  are  very  comfortable. 
Two  more  Indians  came  in  this  night,  and  bring  a  letter  from  Captain  Wil 
liams,  directing  not  to  go  above  the  fort  destroyed  at  Hoosack;  and  if  we  do, 
order  his  Indians  back  who  arc  listed  for  Canada.  —  December  24.  It  proving 
a  very  cold  and  windy  day,  and  having  no  company,  I  set  out  homo.  —  Sun 
day,  February  15,  17-17.  Captain  Williams  came  here  before  night,  and 
lodged  with  inc.*  lie  has  orders  to  provide  for  the  soldiers  on  this  river,  for 
their  march  to  Albany  in  order  for  Crown  Point.  — Tuesday,  March  10.  The 
soldiers  in  this  place  are  enlisted  for  Canada.  Doing  called  o(T  into  tho  wars, 
they  desired  me  to  preach  a  sermon  to  them  before -they  went  off.  Accord 
ingly,  wo  had  a  meeting,  and  !  preached  from  PH.  cxliv.  1.  —  Sunday,  April  12. 
Preached  to-day  in  Conrad  Uurghost's  fort, (people  not  being  inclined  to  go  to 
the  meeting-house,)  from  Isaiah  xxii.  12,  13,  14." 

Lttter  tr  Dr.  ndlamy.  —  "September  3,  175-1.  Reverend  and  Dear  Sirs 
Tho  dire  alarm  wo  have  had  is  like  to  prevent  tho  proposed  journey  of  myself 
and  wife  ;  yet  I  shall  come  down  next  week,  if  it  can  bo  thought  prudent  to 
leave  my  family.  You  will  doubtless- rejoice  with  me  when  you  hear  that  tho 
first  news  we  had  from  Stockbridge  was  not  true ;  that  good  Mr.  Edwards  is  yet 
alive,  and,  as  wo  hope,  safe.  His  fits  of  the  fever  and  ague  had  left  him  some 
time  ago,  but  are  now  returned  again,  and  ho  has  a  fit  every  day.  I  made 
him  a  visit  last  week.  Ho  seemed  to  bo  more  dejected  and  melancholy  than 
I  ever  saw  him  before ;  is  quite  [depressed],  and  pines  at  tho  loss  of  so  much 
time.  On  tho  Lord's  [day]  P.  M.,  as  I  was  reading  tho  psalm,  news  came 
that  Stockbridge  was  beset  by  an  army  of  Indians,  and  on  fire,  which  broko 
up  tho  assembly  in  an  instant.  All  were  nut  into  the  utmost  consternation  — 
men,  women,  and  children  crying,  'What  shall  wo  do?'  —  not  a  gun  to 

*  Mr.  Hopkins  often  speak*  of  the  milha/y  and  -civil  officers  lodging  at  bit  house 
daring  the  Indian  wars. 

d* 


42  MEMOIR. 

dofbnd  us,  not  a  fort  to  floo  to,  and  few  ffitrm  and  littlo  ammunition  in  the  place, 
Homo  ran  one  way  and  nemo  another  ;  but  tho  general  coarse  was  to  the  south- 


especially  for  women  and  children.  Women,  children,  and  squawa 
prtaently  flocked.  in  upon  us  from  Stockbridgo,  half  nuked,  a.id  frighted  almost 
to/death  ;  and  fresh  news  came,  that  the  enemy  were  o»x  the  Plains  this  side 
Stockbridge,  shooting,  and  killing,  and  scalping  people  oa  Uiey  fled.  Soino 
prCHcntly  camo  along  bloody,  with  news  that  they  saw  persons  killed  and 
scalped,  which  raised  a  consternation,  tumult,  and  distress  inexpressible,  many 
purticulnrs  of  which  Mr,  Wheeler,  now  at  my  house,  quorum  pars  mn^nafuit^ 
ran  relate,  which  1  liavo  not  now  timo  to  write.  Two  men  uro  killed  and 
fcalprd,  two  children  killed,  and  one  of  them  scalped  ;  but  two  Indians  [have 
boon]  neon  at  or  near  Stockbridgo,  that  wo  certainly  know  of.  Two  Indians 
may  put  Now  England  to  a  hundred  thousand  pounds'  charge,  and  never  much 
expose  themselves,  in  the  way  wo  now  take,  Tlio  troops  that  came  to  our 
assistance  nre  now  drawing  oft';  and  what  have  they  done  ?  They  have  seen 
Stockbridgo,  and  [eaten]  up  nil  their  provision,  and  fatigued  themselves,  and 
that's  nil  ;  and  now  >ve  are  left  ns  much  exjwsed  as  ever,  (for  I  suppose  they 
nro  nil  going.)  In  short,  the  case  of  New  England  looks  very  dark,  especially 
of  the  frontiers.  A  few  savages  may  be  a  terrible  scourge  to  us,  «xe.  —  I 
began  this  letter  in  the  morning,  sineo  which  time  (for  it  is  now  past  five 
o'clock,  1*.  M.)  I  have  had  thoughts  of  moving  my  children  to  Canaan.  If  I 
do,  I  shall  bo  at  commencement,  it  is  likely.  My  regards  to  Mm.  Bellamy. 
From  your  friend  and  servant,  SAM'I,  HOVKINS." 

"September  14,  .1754.  Tills  day  I  moved  my  family  to  Canaan,  to  the 
houso  of  Mr.  Jonn*  M  -  ,  that  they  may  bo  out  of  the  way  of  fear  from  the 
Imlhm.  —  October  W.  Moved  my  family  homo  to-day,  and  have  all  got  safe 
to  my  own  house.  —  November  120.  This  eveivng  my  wife  met  with  a  HIH!  ac- 
cidrnt.  A  pound  of  powder,  being  wet,  wa^  net  in  my  oven,  lust  night,  to 
dry.  As  my  -wife  was  lighting  a  candlo  just  at  the  ovens  mouth,  tiro  powder 
t(K)k  {ire,  and  burnt  her  face  and  neck  very  much.  It  was  a  wonder  it  had  not 
killed  her.  Messed  boCJod  for  this  preservation!  —  Lord's  Dny,  February  23, 
1755.  A  great  number  of  Connecticut  soldiers  were  at  meeting,  who  arc 
going  to  Stock-bridge  and  Pontoosuk,  to  build  forts  and  scout,  &.c.  —  Thurs 
day,  July  !),  1755.  Attended  a  public  fast  to-day,  which  wad  appointed  to 
sock  Cod  for  success  in  tho  expeditions  going  on  this  summer  in  North  Amer 
ica;  ono  ngairist  thoKO  that  used  to  bo  neutral  French  at  the  eastward; 
another  against  Crown  Point  and  a  French  fort  near  Oswego  Lnke;  another 
agaijist  thn  French  on  the  Ohio.  Preached,  A.  M.,  from  Dent,  xxiii.  ',»  ;  P.  M. 
from  %  Chron.  xiii.  IK  —  July  'A  Heard  to-day  that  the  Indians  havo  taken  a 
m:m,  find  woman,  Rtid  child,  about  ten  miles  to  the  vest  of  us.  It  was  duno 
yesterday,  and  one  Indian  wan  killed  by  tho  husband,  while  he  wna  attempt 
ing  to  cnrry  off  his  wife  a  cnptivo.  One  woman  is  also  wounded.  Two  or 
three?  Indians  chased  a  iinn  about  a  mile  and  a  half  west  of  my  house.  Upon 
this  news,  wo  think  it  not  prudent  to  live  at  my  house,  and  have  therefore 
concluded  to  lodge  at  mother  Ingersoll's  this  night,  —  September  l.'l.  Had 
news  this  week  that  our  army  going  to  Crown  Point  was  beset  by  French  and 
Indians,  upon  which  great  numbers  set  out  for  their  assistance.  Hut  last  night 
a  post  came  from  tho  army,  with  the  joyful  news  that  our  army  has  got  the 
victory,  with  the  loss  of  about  an  hundred  men;  that  tho  French  have  lost 
nino  hundred,  and  many  aro  become  prisoners,  &,c.  May  (Jod  have  the  glory! 
—  Ix>rd's  Day,  September  14.  Preached  from  Psalm  cvii.  21,  with  applica 
tion  to  tho  victory  granted  last  week  to  our  army,  over  thn  French  and  In 
dians.  —  December  5.  Near  twenty  sold'.ers  lodged  at  my  house  last  night, 
on  their  return  from  the  camp  at  I/ike  George,  and  a  number  arc  here  again 
this  night,  —Lord's  Day,  May  1(5,  175(j.  A  great  number  of  soldiers  at 
meeting,  both  forenoon  and  afternoon,  who  arc  on  their  march  to  Crown  Point, 
Two  captains  and  their  companies  desired  prayers  in  their  behalf  in  the  after 
noon." 

Ltfler  to  Dr.  Bellamy.  —  "August  10,  1757.    Reverend  and  Dear  Sir; 


MEMOIR.  43 

Yon  havo  abundance  of  nowa  tyoW,  I  suppose.  Wo  have  nono  horo  fVom 
tho  forts  Hinco  last  Friday  night ;  and  tho  most  wo  can  dspond  on  is,  that  a 
close  siege  is  laid  to  tho  upper  fort,  and  our  men  aro  in  a  distressed  situation, 
if  not  taken  or  relieved ;  that  General  Webb,  with  tho  forces  then  arrived  at 
Fort  Edward,  (which  Colonel  Dwight  thinks  must  bo  near  six  thousand,)  went 
on  lord's  day  or  Monday  for  their  relief.  People  from  Westticld  and  Spring 
field,  &c.,  have  been  passing  by  us  ever  since  Monday  evening.  Whether 
the  lower  counties  aro  in  motion,  havo  i>  i  heard.  The  upper  part  of  this 
county,  Northampton,  &c.,  I  hear  don't  otir,  because  they  think  themselves 
in  danger !  Ah,  such  colonels  !  I  think  it  high  time  to  have  a  change  in  tho 
ministry  here,  as  well  as  in  England.  But  I'll  suppress  invectives.  There  will 
bo  enough  without  mine.  Most  men  seem  to  be  touchy  and  waspish,  and,  in  ca 
lamity,  ready  to  blamo  somebody.  But  few  look  aa  high  as  tho  heavens,  or 
aro  sensible  that  they  rule.  If  the  princes  in  Xonn  arc  become  fools,  by 
whose  ordering  is  it?  Thus  in  a  hurry  (though  peril  ips  it  [will  not]  get  to  you 
fia)  No  more,  but  that  I  am  yours,  S\MUKL  HOPKINS." 

fatter  to  Dr.  lldlnmy.  —  "  August  15,  1757.  Reverend  and  Dear  Sir:  Tho 
news  that  you  may  depend  upon  is,  that  Fort  William  Henry  was  surrendered 
to  the  French,  August  !>,  at  neven  o'clock,  A.  M.,  our  men  having  liberty  to 
march  out  with  their  arms  and  packs,  and  ono  brass  cannon.  That  tho  Indians 
stripped  and  killed  somo  of  our  men  before  they  left  tho  fort,  which  was  tho 
next  morning  about  sunrise,  and  followed  them  four  or  five  miles  when  they 
marched,  stripped  them  all,  and  killed  hundreds,  (how  many  not  known,)  in  tho 
most  barbarous  manner.  That  'tis  not  known  whether  tho  French  design  to 
evacuate  the  fort  or  keep  it.  Tint  General  Johnson's  Indians  say  tint  largo 
parties  of  tho  enemy  havo  struck  oft*  towards  our  frontiers  since  tin?  surrender 
of  tho  fort.  That  on  this  Recount  two  Regiments,  vi/.,  Colonel  Williams'^ 
and  Colonel  lluggles's,  (ono  of  which  had  got  to  Kinderhook,  the  other  had 
passed  this  place,)  are  gone  back  to  guard  the  frontiers  on  Connecticut  River, 
and  three  companies  of  Colonel  Chandler's  regiment  (Worcester  county)  aro 
pone  to  Stockbridge.  That  there  is  an  imuuncrablo  company  of  men  at  Fort 
Edward,  all  in  a  huddle  and  confusion,  doing  nothing,  and  like  to  be  of  no 
service,  if  the  enemy  are  withdrawn,  which  (to  me,  at  least)  is  must  probable. 
That  men  are  still  passing  by  us  towards  tho  fort.  Some  hundreds,  now  in 
town,  havo  sent  back  to  Springfield  to  General  Penperell,  (for  ho  is  there,) 
to  know  what  to  do;  whether  go  forward  or  go  back.  —  Current  reports  are, 
that  Generals  Johnson  and  Lyman,  two  days  before  the  fort  was  taken,  wil.h 
tears  in  their  eyes,  begged  leavo  to  march  for  the  relief  of  the  garrison,  but 
could  not  obtain.  That  General  Webb  sent  orders  to  tho  commandant  at 
William  Henry  to  deliver  up  the  garrison  three  days  before  ho  did,  &-c.,  &c., 
&c. —  Many  reflections  rise  in  my  mind  which  I  suppress  as  not  worth  send 
ing  to  you.  Theso  aro  dark  times  indeed,  but  I  predict  much  darker.  But 
this  is  with  God,  and  this  in  some  measure  supports  your  friend  and  ser 
vant,  SAMUKL  HOPKINS." 

Sometimes  our  theologian  writes  with  force  on  tho  ill-judged 
movements  of  the  troops.  *•  As  to  the  army,"  he  says,  in  175G,  "  our 
general  officers  aro  very  grand.  Tho  particular  or  private  baggage 
of  each  one  is  at  Icustjfoe  cart  lowls.  The  French  will  support  a, 
bigger  army,  with  perhaps  ono  quarter  of  the  company.  Mighty 
preparations,  but  nothing  done.  Is  not  a  truly  martial  spirit  de 
parted  ?  "  His  words,  considering  that  he  was  a  divine,  often  sound 
like  a  trumpet.  lie  strove  to  stir  up  his  countrymen  to  high  cft'ort. 
He  labored  and  suffered  for  us,  and  wo  enjoy  the  fruits  of  hia  toil, 
while  we  complain  of  his  unsuccessful  ministry.  His  patriotism 
fitted  him  to  be  a  theologian,  arid  his  theology  made  him  a  patriot 


44  MEMOIR. 


SBCT.  XII.    INTEREST  IX  THE  ABORIGINAL  TRIBES. 

The  self-denying  pastor  of  Housatonick  not  only  felt  a  deep  con 
cern  for  the  political  condition  of  his  own  country,  but  also  for  tho 
spiritual  welfare  of  the  Indians.  We  often  find  him  preaching  to 
the  tribes  of  red  men  collected  at  Stockbridge,  about  an  hour's  ride 
from  his  own  house.  These  Indians  became  so  warmly  attached  to 
him,  that  upon  the  death  of  their  celebrated  missionary,  Rev.  John 
Sergeant,  they  earnestly  desired  Mr.  Hopkins  to  supply  the  vacant 
place.  Had  he  accepted  the  appointment,  he  would  have  received 
from  the  government  a  much  larger  income  than  he  could  ever  ex 
pect  to  receive  at  Great  Harrington.  Tho  following  is  his  modest 
narrative : 

"  It  was  disagreeable  to  me  to  go  so  far  from  Mr.  Edwards,  ns  I  did  when 
I  settled  at  Great  Harrington,  (being  nt  least  sixty  miles,)  with  whom  I  had 
studied  so  long,  and  who  was  able  to  assist  me  farther  to  make  advancement 
in  knowledge,  could  I  live  ia  his  neighborhood,  so  as  to  be  able  to  visit  him 
often,  and  converge  with  him,  &c.  But  I  wan  relieved  and  gratified  with  re 
spect  to  thin,  in  a  few  yearn  a  tier  my  settlement,  by  his  removing  from  North- 
Hmpton  and  settling  at  Stockbridge.  within  seven  miles  of  my  house.  Mr.  Ser- 
peaat,  who  was  missionary  to  the  Indians  at  Stockbridge,  when  I  settled  at 
Grcnt  Harrington,  died  on  the  127th  of  Juty,  171t>.  The  next  year,  tho  com 
missioners  in  Boston,  who  had  the  cure  ol  the  Indian  mission  at  Stockbridge, 
sent  to  me  their  proposal  and  desire  that  I  would  accept  of  that  mission,  in 
which  invitation  both  the  white  people  and  tho  Indians  at  Stockbridge  ear 
nestly  joined.  And  the  Indians  sent  a  particular  messenger  to  me  to  entreat 
me  to  come  and  be  their  minister.  My  answer  was,  that  I  would  take  tho 
matter  into  serious  consideration.  But  as  I  did  not  think  myself  equal  to  such 
a  .situation  and  business,  1  should  hesitate  with  regard  to  accepting  the  offer, 
though  I  should  not  know  of  any  other  man  belter  qualified  to  take  the  place. 
But  as  I  had  one  in  view  who  was  much  better  qualified,  every  way,  for  such 
a  mission,  it*  he  could  be  obtained,  as  I  hoped  he  could,  if  I  otherwise  were 
inclined  to  accept,  I  should  refuse,  in  order  to  introduce  him.  Mr.  Kdwardu 
was  the  man  whom  I  had  in  view.  lie  had  been  dismissed  from  the  church 
in  Northampton  in  the  year  17,">0.  I  therefore  wrote  to  the  commissioners  in 
Boston,  recommending  him  in  the  strongest  terms,  as  the  most  proper  person 
for  that  mission,  nud  mentioned  him  to  the  whito  people,  and  to  the  Indians, 
as  tho  most  suitable  niiin  for  their  minister.  Accordingly,  he  was  introduced, 
and  settled  there,  in  August,  1751,  not  quite  ei<j;ht  years  atler  I  was  settled  at 
Great  Harrington."  •* 

As  Mr.  Edwards  had  become  very  unpopular  among  the  churches 
at  this  time,  he  did  not  regard  it  probable  that  he  could  obtain  any 
where  a  re-settlement  in  the  ministry.  According  to  Hopkins's  Memoir 
of  him,  "  beggary,  as  well  as  disgrace,  stared  him  full  in  the  face, 
if  he  persisted  in  his  principles."  It  is  unlikely  that  he  could  have 
elsewhere  found  so  advantageous  a  residence  as  Stockbridge;  for  here 
he  was  near  to  the  friend  whose  opinions  and  character  he  highly 
valued,  and  their  mutual  fellowship  amid  the  toils  of  the  wilderness 

•  Sketches,  etc.,  pp.  53,  5k 


MEMOIR.  45 

would  discipline  their  hearts  for  the  best  kind  of  theological  investi 
gation.  A  picture  of  Edwards  and  Hopkins,  moving  about  among 
the  wigwams  of  Stockbridge  Plain,  would  be  innlructive.  It  is  also 
encouraging  to  remember  that  the  impressions  then  made  by  these 
two  divines  upon  the  Stoekbridgo  tribes,  are,  perhaps,  now  to  bo 
traced  upon  the  descendants  of  these  tribes,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Vermillion  lliver. 

Between  1700  and  1770,  we  find  our  philanthropic  pastor  engaged 
in  a  correspondence  with  the  Commissioners  of  the  Society  for  prop 
agating  the  (jlospcl  ;  and  also  with  Dr.  Klcu/er  Wheelock,  in  refer 
ence  to  the  education  of  Indian  youth.  lie  entered  into  the  details  of 
the  enterprise,  and  took  a  fresh  interest  in  all,  even  the  humblest  indi 
viduals,  v.'ho  could  further  it.  Ho  manifests  much  good  sense  in  his 
letters ;  as,  for  example,  in  the  following  to  President  Wheelock : 

September  30,  17.">1.  "Mr.  Ilawley,  in  a  letter  to  me  of  the  20th  instant, 
desires  me  to  inform  you  of  tho  following  particulars,  which  I  will  {jive  you  in 
his  own  wordn:  'Since-  I  wrote  my  letter  to  Mr.  Wheelock,  I  am  advised  Unit 
Mr.  Occom  is.  not  quito  HO  acceptable  to  tho  Indians  there'  (at  Oneida)  'as  I 
heard  at  first.  He  tells  them  they  must  not  cut  their  hair,  hut  let  it  tfrow,  as 
the  English  do;  that  they  must  not  wear  their  Indian  ornaments,  ns  wampum, 
and  the  like,  hut  put  them  otV,  and  hum  them  in  the.  fire;  that  they  must  not 

feast  at  weddings, ut  tho  birth  and  baptbm'of  their  children,  &c., 

&c.  These  lire  points  tint  ho  insists  greatly  upon,  which  aw  too  unpopular 
for  them.'  —  I  am  worry  to  hear  this  of  Mr.  Occom,  which,  if  true,  I  think 
shown  him  greatly  deficient  in  that  prudence  which  is  necessary  for  an  Indian 
missionary,  und  renders  him  unlit  to  go  among  Indians;  at  least  alone.  Wo 
shall  ho  informed  of  more  particulars  when  Mr.  Hawley  returns,  when  I  hope 
ho  will  make  you  a  visit." 


SHOT.  XIII.    SERMON  TO  THE  INDIANS. 

The  subject  of  this  Memoir  is  called  a  metaphysical  preacher. 
In  his  tendencies  he  was  such.  I5ut  he  often  resisted  those  tenden- 
.cies,  and  aimed  to  speak  sueli  words  as  fitted  his  audience.  Even 
in  his  old  age,  still  more  in  the  meridian  of  his  life;,  '•his  preaching 
had  much  jw'iwtr.  when  he  descended  from  his  abstractions,  lie 
used  to  speak  without  circumlocution,  and  in  a  plain,  conversational 
way.  Once,  in  preaching  at  Dr.  Patten's,  ho  spoke  of  the  u  loaves 
und  fishes  "  as  what  men  were  still  running  after,  and  his  simple, 
blunt  manner  provoked  a  smile  from  some  of  his  younger  hearers. 
He  saw  it,  und  said,  "You  may  smile,  but  it's  true."* 

This  reminiscence  of  Dr.  Clmnning  solves  tho  oft-proposed 
query,  I  low  could  a  metaphysician  like  Hopkins  have  engaged  the 
interest  of  the  Housutoniek  and  Mohawk  Indians?  for  they  heard 
him  gladly.  The  following  sermon  sheds  more  light  than  would 
come  from  a  volume  of  criticism,  on  his  general  principle  of  adapt- 

*  Extract  from  a  letter  of  Rev.  Willium  E.  dunning,  D.  D. 


46  MEMOIR* 

ing  himself  to  his  hearers.  What  if  his  philosophical  speculations 
raised  him  often  above  his  auditory  ?  This  is  a  fault  of  human 
nature.  Tho  habits  of  the  philosopher  thwart  sometimes  the  inten 
tions  of  the  minister.  Perhaps  this  sermon  is  the  only  one  ad 
dressed  to  the  American  Indians  which  has  ever  been  printed.  And  it 
is  singular,  that  such  a  sermon  should  have  come  from  one  of  whom 
it  has  boon  said,*  that  ««  his  love  of  metaphysics  carries  him  out  of 
real  life."  There  is  not  in  the  records  of  our  literature  a  more  inter 
esting  old  manuscript  than  has  been  found  among  the  papers  of 
Hopkins,  indorsed  with  these  significant  words'  «*  N.  B. — These 
sermons  were  preached  to  the  Indians  the  next  Sabbath  after  Mr. 
Edwards  loft  them  to  take  the  Presidency  of  Nassau  Hall,  January 
21,  1758."!  —  They  are  necessarily  brief,  for  each  sentence  was  first 
spoken  in  the-  English  language  by  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  then  in  the  In 
dian  by  an  interpreter.  It  is  probable,  also,  that  tho  preacher,  as 
was  bis  wont,  introduced  extemporaneous  remark*  at  the  close  of  the 
written  paragraphs.  But  let  us  not  detain  the  reader  from  one,  us  a 
specimen,  of  these  Indian  discourses. 

Text.  —  Lnko  viii.  4-15.  Tlio  Parublo  of  tho  Sowor.  Our  Saviour  in 
this  discourse,  compares  the  hearers  of  tho  word  to  four  sorts,  of  ground,  that 
the  seed  which  men  sow  fulls  on. 

Ono  sort  of  hearers  ho  compares  to  tho  highway  —  tho  hard  path.  Tho 
seed  that  falls  on  the  hard,  troddcu  path  makes  no  impression  on  the  ground, 
but  lies  on  the  ton,  bare  and  uncovered ;  and  then  tho  birds  como  and  pick  it 
up,  and  so  it  is  lost.  So  some  that  hear  the  word,  don't  mind  it  much.  It 
does  not  lay  hold  of  their  hearts  and  make  them  concerned  about  their  souls. 
Their  hearts  are  aa  hard  as  the  hard  path;  and  so  the  word  is  all  lost,  and 
does  them  no  good.  As  the  birds  eat  the  seed  that  falls  on  tho  path,  so  tho 
devil  steals  tho  word  out  of  tho  mind  of  such,  that  ho  may  destroy  their 

HOUls. 

Another  sort  of  hearers  Christ  compares  to  a  rock  that  lies  just  under 
ground,  and  has  a  little  thin  dirt  on  iL  Tho  seed  that  Is  sown  on  such  a 
rock  will  full  into  the  dirt  that  is  on  it,  and  be  covered;  nnd  because  it  has 
a  thin  covering,  it  will  sprout  and  como  up  quick ;  but  because  there  is  not 
dirt  enough  for  the  nx>ts  to  grow  in,  when  the  sun  shines  hot  upon  it,  it 
withers  away  and  dies.  So,  many  that  hoar  tho  word  think  a  great  deal 
about  it.  They  believe  it,  and  are  afiectcd  with  it,  at  first  They  lovo  to 
hear  the  word,  and  are  concerned  about  their  souls,  for  a  while,  and  they 
intend  always  to  be  good,  and  MO  go  to  heaven;  but  yet  their  hearts  aro  not 
really  good.  They  nro  not  truly  born  again,  HO  as  to  havo  new  hearts  ;  and 
therefore,  when  they  are  tempted  to  sin,  they  turn  from  nil  the  good  they  had, 
anil  fall  into  sin.  All  their  goodness  withers  away,  and  they  are  often  worso 
than  they  wero  before, 

Another  sort  of  hearers  of  tho  word  Christ  compares  to  ground  full  of 
thorns.'  The  bushes  aro  cut  olV  and  tho  ground  ploughed  a  little,  but  it  is- 
all  full  of  the  roots  of  thorns  that  arc  not  killed.  When  tho  seed  sprouts  and 
grows,  tho  thorns  grow  too,  and  outgrow  tho  wheat,  and  nhudo  it,  and  kill  it. 
So,  many  that  hear  the  word  mind  it  some,  and  seem  as  if  they  intended  to 
become  good  ;  but  presently  tho  cares  of  tho  world,  and  their  luata  and 
pleasures,  root  all  good  thoughts  out  of  their  hcarte,  and  they  become  as  bud 
as  ever. 

•  Jty  Dr-  Aihbc)  Green,  in  hti  Memoir,  p.  210. 


MEMOIR.  47 

Another  sort  of  hearers  Christ  compares  to  pood  ground  —  good  strong 
land,  which  is  well  fitted  for  seed.  The  seed  falls  into  this,  comes  up,  and 
ffrows,  and  brings  forth  good  fruit.  So  some  that  hear  the  word  receive  it 
into  good  hearts.  They  love  the  word  and  obey  it  heartily,  and  when  they 
die,  they  go  to  heaven. 

Now,  which  of  these  sorts  of  hearers  are  you  ?  What  effect  do  the  words 
of  Christ  have  on  your  heart  ?  You  all  hear  the  word ;  Christ  sends  his 
ministers  to  HOW  the  word  among  yon.  Are  not  Home  of  you  like  the  path? 
You  don't  mind  or  care  any  thing  about  what  you  hear.  Do  you  not  torget 
what  you  hear  at  meeting  before  you  got  home,  and  never  think  any  thing 
more  about  it  ?  The  word  never  comes  to  your  heart  BO  as  to  make  you  con 
cerned  about  your  souls.  Other  tilings  come  to  your  heart  You  are  greatly 
concerned  about  them  and  affected  with  them ;  but  you  don't  care  about 
what  Christ  Hays  to  you.  Don't  some  of  you  mind  the  devil  more  than  you 
do  Christ,  and  suffer  him  to  take  away  Christ's  words  out  of  your  heart  ? 

Are  not  some  of  you  like  the  stony  ground  ?  You  have  been  affected 
with  the  word,  it  may  be.  The  word  once  seemed  to  come  to  your  heart, 
and  you  reformed  your  wicked  practices,  and  prayed  to  God.  You  was  con 
cerned  about  your  souls,  and  wanted  to  get  an  interest  in  Christ.  You  lov'ed 
to  hear  the  word,  and  had  great  hopes  you  WHS  good  and  should  be  saved. 
But  have  you  not  fallen  away,  and  forsaken  Christ  and  religion?  Have  vim 
not  been  like  the  wheat  that  comes  up  on  a  rock  ?  At  first  you  seemed  to 
grow  and  flourish,  as  if  you  would  bring  forth  a  good  crop ;  but  have  you 
not  since  hearkened  to  temptations,  and  forsaken  the  ways  of  Christ?  Is  not 
all  your  religion  withered  and  dried  up  ?  If  it  is  so,  the  word  of  Christ  never 
had  root  in  your  hearts.  Your  hearts  are  like  the  hard  rock,  where  the  seed 
cannot  take  root  and  grow.  This  stony  heart  must  be  broken  and  taken 
away,  and  a  new,  soft  heart  .given  you,  or  you  cannot  bo  saved. 

Are  not  some  of  you  like  the  ground  full  of  thorns?  The  word  has  been 
sown  upon  your  hearts,  and  seemed  to  take  some  root.  You  reformed  ninny 
things,  and  said  you  would  be  good,  you  would  love  and  serve  Christ;  but 
have  you  not  altered  your  mind  and  changed  your  course  since?  Have  not  your 
lusts  and  the  wickedness  of  your  heart  turned  you  away  from  Christ  ?  Don't 
you  care  more  about  the  things  of  the  world,  now,  than  about  Christ?  Is  not 
the  word  become  unfruitful  by  your  worldly  cares  nnd  lusts  ?  The  good  seed 
cannot  prow  in  such  hearts,  that  mind  the  world  more  than  Christ.  Your 
wicked  hearts  must  bo  changed,  and  the  bad  things  must  bo  torn  out  of  them, 
as  the  roobi  of  thorns  arc  torn  out  of  the  ground,  or  the  word  will  do 
you  no  good. 

Are  any  of  your  hearts  like  the  good  ground?  lias  the  word  fallen  into 
your  hearts,  and  do  you  keep  it  thvro?  Do  your  hearts  love  Christ  and  his 
ways  ?  Do  you  love  to  hear  of  Christ,  and  do  what  he  bids  you  ?  And  do  you 
bring  forth  pood  fruit  bv  obeying  Christ  ?  You  ought  seriously  to  inquire 
how  it  is  with  you  in  tfieso  resects. 

Christ  has  been  sowing  the  seed  of  his  word  among  you.  Mr.  Edwards 
has  been  lien?  a  good  while,  sowing  the  word  among  you.  Ho  has  sowed  u 
great  deal  of  good  seed  among  you,  and  has  watered  it  with  his  prayers  and 
counsels,  and  tried  to  make  it  grow.  But  now  he  has  done  sowing  the  good 
seed  among  you,  and  is  gone  ;  and  now  you  ought  to  sit  down  and  consider 
what  is  become  of  the  good  seed  that  is  sown.  If  your  hearts  are  not  bad, 
if  they  are  like  the  good  ground,  the  word  ho  1ms  sown  among  you  will  do 
you  a  great  deal  of  good,  and  bring  forth  much  fruit ;  but  if  your  hearts  are 
bad,  the  good  seed  will  all  bo  lost;  there  will  bo  no  good  fruit,  but  'tis  to 
bo  feared  you  will  go  to  hell,  after  all. 

It  may  be  you  have  been  a  little  affected  with  the  word  sometimes,  but 
then  it  has  vanished  away  and  come  to  nothing.  And  have  not  some  ol  you 
grown  worse  and  worse  while  tlio  word  has  been  sown  among  you,  rather 
than  better?  Are  you  not  worse  than  you  would  have  been,  if  you  had  never 
heard  the  word  ?  Many  times  this  is  the  case.  If  you  cut  trees  off  of  land, 


48  MEMOIR. 

find  do  not  plough  it  and  kill  the  roots,  it  grown  worao  than  it  wan  before,  in  a 
few  yearn,  and  often  get*  ftill  of  briers  and  thorns.  So  it  may  bo  with  ionio  of 
you.  You  aro  worse  than  those  that  never  heard  the  word.  If  tins  is  tha 
caso,  tho  fanlt  is  not  in  tho  seed  sown,  hut  in  your  hearts. 

All  good  folks  in  the  country  arc  looking  on  you,  nnd  inwiiring  about  you, 
whether  tho  word  sown  among  you  is  fruitful.  They  will  inquire  of  Mr. 
Kdwards  whether  von  havo  received  tho  word  into  your  heart*,  and  bring 
forth  fruit  in  your  lives,  The  good  angel*,  Unit  come,  down  from  heaven  to 
earth,  are  looking  on  you,  to  see  what  effect  the  word  has  upon  you ;  and 
news  in  carried  to  heaven  about  you,  and  it.  in  there  known  whether  the  word 
sown  brings  forth  good  fruit.  Christ  in  every  dny  lixiking  upon  you,  to  nee 
what  effect  his  word  has  among  you.  Surely,  then,  it  becomes  you  to 
inquire  and  HOO  how  this  matter  in.  How  must  we  answer  this  question? 
Does  tho  word  sown  nt  Stockbridgo  grow  and. flourish,  or  is  it  all  lout  ?  Must 
it  not  bn  said  there  aro  a  great  many  who  receive  tho  word  no  better  than 
tho  highway  does  the  seed,  where  it  makes  no  impression  at  all?  —  that 
mnny  that  made  a  hopeful  nppearanee,  und  promised  to  be  good,  ore  fallen 
away  nnd  come  to  nothing?  1  hope  it  can  bo  said  there  is  some  good  fruit; 
but  who  of  you  aro  fruitful,  so  as  to  be  nn  honor  to  Christ  and  a  credit 
to  religion? 

And  now  let  mo  entreat  you  to  hear  tho  word  nnd  receive  it  into  your 
hearts.  Ho  that  has  been  sowing  the  word  among  you  is  gone,  but  we  hope 
C.'hrist  will  send  another  still  to  sow  good  seed  among  you.  You  ought  to 

1»ray  earnestly  every  day  for  this.  Jlut  how  will  you  pray  heartily  for  this,  if 
you  nro  not  willing]  to  receive  the  word?  You  ought  to  be  concerned, 
therefore,  to  get  good  hearts.  Though  you  hnvo  never  no  good  a  minister, 
if  you  havo  no  heart  to  receive  and  obey  the  word,  he  will. do  you  no  good. 
Yea,  it  would  bo  better  for  you  if  you  had  never  heard  of  Christ,  tlmn  to  hear 
and  refuse  to  mind  what  he  nays  to  you.  Ho  St.  Peter  says,  (2  I'oL  ii.  21,) 
Christ  will  be  exceeding  angry  with  you,  and  cant  you  into  hell,  if  you  will 
not  mind  what  he  says;  nnd  you  will  be  more  tormented  than  those  that 
never  heard  his  gospel.  Tho  devil  i»  trying  to  catch  tho  word  away,  and 
hindering  its  laying  liold  of  your  hearts  ;  and  if  you  hearken  to  him  once,  he 
will  havo  more  power  against  you. 

Sowing  time  will  be  over  by  nnd  by ;  and  they  that  bear  good  fruit,  Christ 
will  take  to  heaven,  but  tho  unfruitful  ho  will  burn  in  hell,  as  men  burn 
briers  nnd  thorns.  (),  then,  root  every  wicked  thing  out  of 'your  hearts. 
Cross  nnd  kill  every  lust.  1'rny  earnestly  to  Uod,  that  ho  would  make  your 
hearts  noil  and  good.  (Jod  only  can  change  the  hearts  of  men,  and  make 
them  good,  nnd  tit,  liko  tho  good  ground,  for  seed.  If  ho  does  not  change? 
them,  they  will  bring  forth  briers  and  thorns.  Cry  earnestly  to  (Jod,  then,  tor 
this  mercy,  ns  David  did:  "Create  in  me  a  clean  heart,  ()  God,  nnd  renew  a 
right  spirit  within  me." 

Observn'tion  I.  Men  may  hear  the  word,  may  havo  it  sown  among  them  ft 
great  while,  nnd  yet.  get  no  good  by  it.  The  devil  and  their  own  wicked 
hearts  may  join  to  reject  it  nil.  Their  heurts  do  not  grow  sorter  nnd  better, 
but  harder  and  more  wicked,  under  the  word.  How  Had  is  the  case;  of  such  ! 
They  will  bo  cast  into  a  lire  that  never  can  bo  put  out,  nnd  tormented  by 
devils  forever  nnd  ever.  Tho  devil  will  laugh  nt  them,  in  hell,  for  being  so 
foolish  us  not  to  mind  what  Christ  said  to  them,  nnd  they  will  bo  angry  at 
themselves  and  curse  themselves  for  their  own  folly. 

[Obs.]  2.  Many  may  do  a  great  deal  in  religion,  and  come  to  no  good  at 
last,  but  fall  awny  when  they  nro  tempted,  &c. 

[Obs.]  3.  The  best  way  to  know  whether  tho  word  does  good,  is  to  seo 
what  fruit  is  brought  forth. 

[Obs.]  4.  They  who  fall  away  when  temptations  come  havo  reason  to 
think  they  havo  no  goodness.  When  they  have  no  temptations,  they  will  bo 
very  good,  and  resolve  always  to  be  so ;  but  every  time  they  come  into  tempta 
tion,  thoy  fall  awny.  This  is  because  goodness  haa  no  root  in  their  hoarti. 


MEMOIR.  49 

Men  that  have  good  hearts  can  resist  temptation,  and  they  [will  remain  good 
in  spite  of  temptation]  j  but  when  the  heart  is  not  right,  men  will  loto  all 
their  goodness  m  the  time  of  temptation. 

[Obs,]  5.  Tho  word  of  Christ  and  thoy  that  sow  tho  word,  are  not  to  blamo 
that  nion  are  not  good,  and  do  not  bring  forth  fruit.  Thoy  sow  good  seed, 
and  it  does  not  prosper  because  tho  heart  is  not  good.  If  men  sow  good  scca 
on  bad  ground,  it  will  not  grow,  though  they  sow  it  nover  so  well,  and  never 
eo  often.  So  it  is  with  taono  that  BOW  Christ's  word.  If  it  is  sown  in  bad 
hearts,  it  will  not  grow  and  bring  forth  fruit;  but  wickedness  will  grow  up 
and  choko  tho  woru  of  Christ, 

[Ob«.]  (5.  They  that  hear  the  word  are  in  great  danger  of  goinir  to  hell. 
Most  that  hear  the  word  live  wickedly,  and  go  to  hell.  You  have  all  need  to 
be  afraid  of  thin.  You  had  need  to  DO  concerned  to  have  your  hearts  mado 
soft  and  [mellow],*  that  tho  word  may  tako  root  there,  and  bear  fruit  to 
eternal  lite. 

SECT.  XIV.    SOCIAL  INTERCOURSE. 

It  must  not  be  supposed,  that  while  his  parishioners  at  Housatonick 
remained  poor,  and  ignorant,  and  fearful  of  savage  invaders,  their 
pastor  was  deprived  of  all  congenial  society.  Ho  was  regular  in 
meeting  tho  clergy  at  Ynlo  College  commencement.  Sometimes  ho 
attended  tho  election  at  Boston,  whore  he  had  several  wealthy  friends. 
Often  we  find  David  Hrainerd  coming  to  see  him ;  sleeping  with 
him,  preaching  for  him,  etc.  Often  wo  find  Hopkins  at  his  uncle's 
parsonage  in  West  Springfield.  Still  oftenqr  we  read,  in  his  Jour- 
rial,  Bucli  notices  us  the  following: 

"  Northampton,  July  23, 1743.  Am  kindly  received  by  Mr.  Edwards  and  his 
family..  Made  Miss  Jcrusha  a  present  of  a  Bible.  Mr.  Edwards  is  desirous 
that  I  would  preach  for  him  part  of  the  day  to-morrow,  but  I  cannot  bo  willing. 

"Sunday,  July  24,  1743.  Heard  Mr.  Edwards  preach  all  day.  I  have 
been  very  dull  and  HcnselcHs;  much  diwcouruged  about  preaching.  Hearing 
Mr.  Edwards  makes  mo  ashamed  of  myself.  —  Drooklield,  Thursday,  May  2», 
1744.  Set  out  to-day  from  Northampton  for  Boston,  in  company  with  Madam 
Edwards  and  her  daughter,  who  rid(;n  behind  mo  [on  hornobackj.  Wo  lodgo 
at  Colonel  Dwight's,  nt  Brookficld;"  [afterwards  the  well-known  General  1)., 
of  Groat  Harrington.] 

After  Mr.  Edwards  Imd  removed  to  Stockbridgc,  and  was  within 
about  one  hour's  ride  from  Mr.  Hopkins,  wo  read,  on  almost  every 
page  of  tho  Journal,  surli  notices  as  tbcso : 

"Bethlem,  October  13,  1754.  Mr.  Edwards  not  being  ablo  to  travel,  I 
am  yet  with  him  at  Mr.  Bellamy's.  —  Friday,  October  18.  Having  dono  my 
busuicM  at  VVutorbnry,  and  Mr.  Edwards  continuing  to  have-  a  severe  fit  every 
d:iy,  I  loft  Mr.  Edwards  at  Watcrbury,  and  not  out  homewards  to-day.  Lodjfo 
at  Mr.  Bellamy's.  —  Thursday,  August  28.  This  day  being  attended  as  a  miblic 
Fo«t,  Mr.  Bellamy  preached  for  me  all  day.  I  hnliovo  there  is  not  a  brttor 
preacher  in  America,  on  all  accounts.  —  August  30.  Rode  with  Mr.  Bellamy 
yesterday  to  Htockbridpe. —  February  12,  1755.  Mr.  Bellamy  came  to  my 
nouao  last  Tuesday,  with  whom  I  went  to  Htockbridgo,  and  staid  there  two 

*  Some  of  the  word.*  enclosed  in  brackets,  throughout  this  discourse,  were  Lft  by  Dr. 
Hopkins  in  cipher.  They  arc  hero  inserted,  after  a  careful  comparison  of  hii  short 
hand  with  the  context,  and  with  hit  own  glossary. 

e 


60  MEMOIR. 

nights  nnd  ono  dny  to  hoar  Mr.  Edwards  road  ft  treatise  upon  tho  Last  End 
of  God  in  the  Creation  of  th«  World.  Returned  homo  to-aay.  Mr.  Bellamy 
camo  with  mo,  &c. 

"  March  U.  Wont  to  Stockbridgo  to-day  to  borrow  somo  books,  nnd  re 
turned. 

"September  2,  1750.  Rodo  to  Stockbridgo  to-day  on  an  important  secret 
errand,  and  returned.  —  September  3.  Mr.  Edwards  and  Madain,  and  their 
*on  Timothy,  at  my  houso  to-day." 

Theno  nml  similar  records  Imvo  n  theological  vnluo.  Mnny  of 
them  show  that,  in  regard  to  their  professional  literature,  Hopkins, 
Bellamy,  and  Kdwivrds  "  had  nil  things  common  ; "  and  each  was  in 
the  habit  of  loaning  to  tho  other*  nil  the  hooks,  pamphlets,  theologi 
cal  rpistlew,  which  they  desired  to  borrow ;  that  they  were  also  in 
tho  habit  of  submitting  to  each  other's  criticism  the  manuscripts 
which  they  intended  to  publish. 

"In  ono  instance,"  says  Dr.  Patton,  "from  some  inconvenience  in  consult 
ing  Mr.  H.,  ho  [Mr.  Edward*]  published  a  work  without  his  [Hopkins'*]  pre- 
vioiiH  inspection.  After  it  was  in  print,  ho  inquired  of  Mr,  II.  if  ho  saw  \\\  it 
any  Uiing  objectionable.  Mr.  II.  replied  by  asking  him  it'  ho  had  considered 
such  a  particular  proposition  in  thu  work.  Mr.  E.  answoicd  that  he  hud  not ; 
that  it  was  a  current  expression  among  divines.  Wherein  was  it  not  correct  ? 
Mr.  II.  jwinted  out  an  objection,  which  Mr.  Edwards  immediately  perceived 
and  acknowledged,  and  remarked,  '  I  am  norry  that  you  did  not  nee  tnc  manu- 
Hcript;  but  thin  I  promise,  tltat  I  will  never  publiHh  another  book  without 
showing  tho  manuscript  to  you,  if  you  are  in  life.' 

"Long  after  thin,  Dr.  Hopkins  observed  to  the  writer,  that  tho  very  few 
errors  of  Mr.  Edwurds's  writings  were  owing  to  tho"  fuct  that  "some  things 
wore  taken  for  granted  as  true,  because  they  had  appeared  in  tho  earlier  writ 
ings  of  divines,  and  in  creeds.  They  were  admitted  a«  first  principles,  which, 
as  to  correctness,  required  no  examination."* 

Before  Dr.  Bellamy  published  his  "True  Religion  Delineated,"  Dr.  Patten 
Mys  that  Bellamy  "requested  Mr.  Hopkins,  to  make  him  a  visit  of  two  or  three 
days,  that  ho  might  attend  to  the  manuscript,  and  make  his  remarks  ii)x>n  it. 
When  Dr.  B.  had  proceeded  Homo  way  in  reading,  Mr.  II.  said,  'Stop.1 
'Why,1  said  Dr.  I).,4 what  is  there  here?'  «I  would  not,  for  five  hundred 
dollars,'  replied  Mr.  II .,  'publish  that  sentence,  with  the  sanction  of  my  name 
to  it.'  *  But  it  is  a  quotation  from  Edwards,'  said  Dr.  B.  'I  know  it,  but  it  is 
wrong.'  '  Wo  are  brought  to  a  strange  pass,  indeed,  if  wo  cannot  adont  the 
sentiments  of  Edwards!'  The  quotation  referred  to  self-love.  It  had  been 
the  opinion  of  divines,  that  the  self-love  of  the  natural  7nan  i»  sinful 


its  excess ;  that  in  regeneration  it  is  brought  down  to  it.*  proper  level  in  prin- 
ciulo;  like  a  fire,  which,  unrestrained,  spreads  over  the  house,  but  is  useful 
when  reduced  to  burn  on  tho,  hearth.  This  opinion,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
and  without  examination,  had  been  adopted  by  Mr.  Edwards.  The  criticism 
of  Mr.  II.  waj»,  that  in  the  exercises  of  one  who  is  not  sanctified,  there  is  noth 
ing  holy ;  that  holiness  depends  on  the  nature  of  the  exercise,  and  not  on  the 
degree  in  which  it  is  exercised ;  that  the  love  of  the  dinner  for  himself  has 
nothing  of  that  love  which  the  law  requires,  more  than  his  love  for  (Jod  or  hi* 
neighbor;  as  his  lovo  for  (Jod  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  loving  him  with  all 
his  heart,  and  as  his  love  for  his  neighbor  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of  loving 
his  neighbor  as  himself,  so  his  love  for  himself  has  nothing  of  the  nature  of 
loving  himself  as  ho  docs  his  neighbor ;  that  in  regeneration  he  has  but  one 
love,  which  is  now  in  each  of  these  relations.  Dr.  B.  admitted  the  justice  of 

*  Reminiscence*,  pp.  41,  42. 


UBMOIB.  51 

tho  criticism,  and  corrected  that  port  of  hi*  Fork,  And  during  the  examina 
tion,  both  entirely  concurred  in  approving  of  that  which  was  published,  Thia 
distinction  of  tho  now  lovo  which  ono  is  brought  to  exorcise  for  himaclf  In 
regeneration,  Mr.  II.  considered  as  having  occurred  to  him  without  mooting 
with  it  in  any  commentator,  and  an  inoro  original  in  thin  sonso  than  any  other 
doctrine  in  his  system."  * 

AH  Bellamy  confided  in  tho  criticisms  of  Hopkins,  so  did  Hopkins 
ccmfulo  in  tho  criticisms  of  Bellamy;  and  writes  to  him  very  fre 
quently  in  a  stylo  liktt  tho  following :  "  July  9,  175(1.  Tho  enclosed 
loiters  to  Dr.  Mnyhew  lay  themselves  nt  your  feet  ond  wait  your 
sanction.  Please  to  say  whether  either  of  them  shall  be  sent.  If 
one,  which  ?  And  with  what  corrections  und  emendations  1  Please 
to  givo  tho  sanction,  et  cris  mihi  magnus  Apollo"  More  than  onco 
lie  sends  hi.s  manuscripts  to  Bellamy  with  such  deferential  words  as, 
44  From  your  sentence  there  will  bo  no  appeal."  Beautiful,  indeed, 
was  this  mutual  confidence  of  Edwards,  Bellamy,  and  Hopkins  in 
each  other. 

Mr.  Edwards  lived  nearly  seven  years  within  seven  miles  from  his 
beloved  pupil.  "When  he  was  invited  to  tho  Presidency  of  the  Col- 
lego  of  New  Jersey,  Hopkins  was  tho  leading  member  of  tho  coun 
cil  which  advised  him  to  accept  the  invitation.  It  has  often  been 
said,  that  if  Hopkins  had  expressed  a  different  opinion,  that  invitation 
would  have  been  rejected.  With  his  usual  disinterestedness,  ho 
parted  with  bis  revered  teacher. 

"Wi;en  the  council,"  ho  says,  "published  their  judgment  and  advice  to  Mr. 
Edwnrds  and  his  people,  ho  appeared  uncommonly  moved  and  affected  with 
it,  and  fell  into  tears  on  the  occasion,  which  was  very  unusual  for  him  in  tho 
prcNCfiCO  of  others,  and  soon  after  Raid  to  tho  gentlemen  who  Imd  given  their 
advice,  that  it  was  matter  of  wonder  to  him  that  they  could,  HO  easily  a.s 
they  appeared  to  do,  get  over  tho  objections  he  had  made  against  his  removal 
to  be  the  head  of  a  college,  which  appeared  great  and  weighty  to  him.  But 
as  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  be  directed  by  their  advice,  ho  should  now  en 
deavor  cheerfully  to  undertake  it,  believing  ho  was  in  tho  way  of  bin  duty."f 

In  less  than  three  months  after  this  result  of  the  council,  Edwards 
wns  in  his  grave.  The  death  of  so  dear  a  friend  bad  a  depressing 
influence  upon  Hopkins,  whoso  temper  was  too  despondent.  He 
became  more  and  more  distressed  with  tho  fear,  that  ho  had  sinned 
in  advising  the  removal  to  Princeton.  Its  calamitous  issue  was  un 
wisely  interpreted  into  a  sign  of  its  original  wrongfulnces. 


SECT.   XV.    STUDIOUS   LIFE   AT  CHEAT  BAURINGTON. 

Having  a  giant  frame,  he  could  endure  a  great  amount  of  severe 
mental  application.  His  plain  diet  and  his  rural  abodo  aided  him  in 
his  intellectual  processes.  True,  tho  fever  and  ague  and  other  dis- 

*  Reminiscences,  pp.  49,  50. 

t  Hopkins'*  Memoir  of  Edwards,  Edinburgh  edition,  p.  94. 


52  MEMOIR. 

cases  of  the  wilderness  shattered  his  system,  as  also  that  of  Presi 
dent  Edwards ;  but  he  retained  vigor  enough  to  rise  above  his 
maladies,  and  says,  in  his  seventy-fifth  year: 

"  My  bodily  constitution,  I  believe,  has  been  much  better  than  most  of  those 
who  live  a  sedentary  life.  In  tho  former  part  of  my  life,  indeed,  from  tho 
twenty-first  to  tho  thirty-fifth  or  fortieth  year  of  my  age,  my  constitution  was 
rather  slender  and  infirm,  but  not  so  as  to  prevent  my  attending  to  business 
and  my  study,  as  much  or  more  than  is  common  among  ministers.  Since  that 
time  of  life,  my  constitution  has  been  better,  and  I  have  enjoyed  generally  a 
good  state  of  bodily  health,  and  have  been  able  to  study  fourteen  and  fre 
quently  eighteen  hours  in  a  day,  generally  rising  at  four  o  clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  or  between  four  and  five,  especially  in  the  winter  season.  I  have  had 
several  fits  of  sickness,  in  which  I  nave  been  brought  very  low,  and  have  been 
thought  by  my  friends  to  bo  near  deatli;  but  these  ill  turns  have  not  broken 
my  constitution,  but  have  appeared  to  bo  tho  means  of  my  better  health,  as 
this  has  generally  been  the  consequence;  and  I  now  enjoy  more  bodily  case, 
health,  and  strength  than  is  common  to  men  of  my  age.'  * 

Dr.  Patten  says,  that  "probably,  with  his  portion  of  tho  patri 
monial  estate,"  ho  obtained  "  u  decent  but  commodious  dwelling- 
house,  and  thirty  or  forty  acres  of  land,  [about  a  mile  from  his  meet 
ing-house.]  The  land  ho  brought  under  the  best  cultivation,  and  us 
tho  soil  was  good,  it  was  very  luxuriant  in  its  productions.  Ho 
cultivated  trees,  especially  apples,  which  he  grafted  with  a  great 
variety  of  the  best  of  this  species  of  fruit."  Dr.  Patten  adds,  that 
these  "labors  and  cares  engrossed  much  of  his  attention,  and  inter 
fered  with  his  studies  and  ministerial  duties."  t  That  there  may 
have  been  a  few  instances  of  such  interference,  is  possible.  There 
are  many  testimonies  and  incidents,  however,  which  prove  that  he 
usually  labored  on  his  farm  less  than  his  health  required;  and  that 
his  literary  progress  was  aided,  rather  than  imjx'ded,  by  his  muscu 
lar  exercise.  Indeed,  a  subsequent  remark  of  Dr.  Patten  nflbrds 
physiological  evidence  that  this  very  period  of  Hopkins'*  life  was 
marked  by  his  sedentary  habits,  and  that  bo  ought  to  have  been  longer 
out  of  doors,  so  as  to  have  required  more  generous  repasts.  He 
was,  says  Dr.  Patten,  "very  temperate  in  bis  diet,  breakfasting  and 
supping  on  bread  and  milk,  from  a  bowl  containing  about  three  gills, 
never  varying  from  that  quantity,  whether  bis  appetite  required  more 
or  not  so  much.  He  thought  that  this  regularity  of  eating  tended  to 
render  bis  uppetito  uniform,  and  to  confirm  bis  health." J  Tho 
Journal  and  correspondence  of  Mr.  Hopkins  show  him  to  have  been 
far  more  deeply  interested  in  politics  than  in  bis  farm.  Indeed, 
there  are  very  few  instances  of  bis  even  alluding  to  bis  pecuniary 
aiVuirs  ;  and  these  few  are  exceptions,  which  prove  that  bis  rule  was, 
to  look  above  the  earth.  The  following  is  one  allusion : 

"Friday,  January  520,  17-14,  Have  spent  this  week  but  poorly  hitherto. 
Havo  been  making  a  clock-reel,  which  seems  not  to  be  my  business.  I  can- 

•  Sketches,  etc.,  p.  81.  t  Hcminiiccnccs,  pp.  30,  31,  53.  J  Ib.  p.  33. 


MEMOIB,  '  (53 

not  live  to  any  profit,  unless  I  live  free  from  the  world.  I  design  never 
to  undertake  such  a  piece  of  business  again,  under  tho  circumstances  I  am 
now  in." 

The  uniform  testimony  of  his  survivors,  who  once  knew  him,  is, 
that  during  the  last  thirty-three  years  of  his  life,  he  did  not,  from 
January  to  December,  take  so  much  as  an  hour's  exercise,  except 
on  parochial  business,  or  in  journeying ;  and  that  his  confirmed  habits 
were  those  of  a  reader  and  writer.  From  these  later  usages,  we 
may  infer  his  earlier;  and  may  presume  that  he  would  have  studied 
more  effectively  at  Great  Barrington,  if  he  had  spent  more  time 
than  he  did  spend  among  his  apple-trees.  Nothing  would  have 
sooner  cured  him  from  complaining  of  his  discourses  as  »•  sense 
less,"  than  the  performance  of  a  daily  work  on  his  "  thirty  or  forty 
acres." 

Tho  common  impression  is,  that  the  studies  of  Hopkins  were 
chiefly  metaphysical.  What  if  they  were  1  They  were  not  entirely 
so.  lie  was  a  diligent  reader  of  commentaries,  particularly  of  Poole's 
Synopsis.  He  read  through  the  whole  of  Poole's  five  folios  in  Latin. 
He  commented  three  several  times  on  every  chapter  of  tho  Bible 
in  his  expository  discourses ;  and  this  extensive  exposition  required 
of  him,  what  he  pursued,  a  diligent  perusal  of  the  critics.  He  had 
not  been  ordained  much  more  than  two  years,  before  he,  with  Rev. 
Mr.  Hubbard,  of  Sheffield,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Sergeant,  of  Stockbridgc, 
formed  a  plan  for  each  to  study  and  comment  upon  the  Epistle  to 
the  Galatians,  and  to  present  his  Commentary  to  the  other  two  for 
criticism.  Mr.  HopkinsVt  Exjwsition  is  still  preserved,  with  Mr. 
Sergeant's  Review  of  it.  Among  the  authors  which  are  most  famil 
iarly  mentioned  by  him,  are  Calvin  and  Van  Mastricht,  (both  of 
whom  he  studied  in  their  original  Latin,)  Saurin,  Owen,  Manton, 
Goodwin,  Bates,  Baxter,  Chornock,  Prideaux,  Sharp,  Matthew 
•Henry,  John  Locke,  Whitby,  Dr.  S.  Clark,  Dr.  John  Taylor,  Mos- 
hcim,  Doddridgc,  etc.,  etc.  Nothing,  then,  can  be  more  inaccu 
rate,  than  to  affirm  that  he  restricted  himself  to  metaphysics.  Few, 
if  any,  clergymen  of  his  day  were  so  conversant  with  tho  various 
criticisms  upon  the  sacred  text.  Upon  that  text  he  aimed  to  form 
his  theological  system.  He  once  remarked  to  Dr.  Tcnney,*  "  that 
there  was  not  a  passage  in  all  the  Scriptures  which  had  not  been 
the  subject  of  his  particular  meditation  ;  nor  one,  the  meaning  of 
which  ho  had  not  endeavored,  by  his  own  reflections  and  the  aid  of 
commentators,  to  understand.1' 

•  Sc«  Fcrguson'i  Memoir  of  Hopkini,  p.  146. 
C* 


*»     64  '  MEMOIR. 


Bier,  XVI.   DOMESTIC  LIFE  AND  FAMILY  AT  GREAT  BARRINOTON. 

In  less  than  a  year  after  his  ordination,  Hopkins  began  to  be 
severely  afflicted.  He  writes : 

"Watcrbury,  December  5,  1744.  Received  news  tins  morning  that  my 
mother  lay  at  the  point  of  death  yesterday  morning.  Set  out  towards  noon, 
and  got  to  Wntorbury  about  bed-time,  whore  I  received  the  sorrowful  news  of 
my  mother's  death.  Caino  to  my  father's  house;  —  find  it  in  mournful  cir 
cumstances  ;  —  no  mother  to  welcome  mo  home,  as  she  was  wont  to  do,  —  De- 
comber  5.  This  day  my  dear  mother  departed  tin's  life,  about  one  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon ;  by  whoso  death  Clod  lias  touched  mo  in  the  mast  tender  place. 
She  was,  in  many  respects,  nearer  nnd  dearer  to  mo  than  any  other  relation, 
and  was  one  that  had  the  most  tender  and  alVoctionatc  love  for  me,  which  she 
abundantly  expressed  by  words  and  actions. .  My  natural  affection  now  H!IOWS 
itself;  and  though  I  am  sensible  of  no  murmuring,  yet  I  can't  but  mourn. 
Somo  timo  ago,  I  was  especially  concerned  for  my  mother,  and  my  thoughts 
ran  particularly  upon  her,  which  was  the  occasion  of  mv  writing  the  following 
letter  to  her,  which  she  received  about  throe  weeks  before  her  death* 

•"Kind  Mother: I  take  this  opportunity  to  express  my  gratitudo  and 

thankfulness  for  all  your  care  for  and  kindness  to  me,  which  is  very  great, 
which  I  hope,  I  am  in  Homo  measure  sensible  of,  and  never  shall  forget  it;  yet 
I  know  1  am  in  a  great  degree  unthankful,  and  have  reason  to  ho  ashamed  of 
my  misiuiprovement  of  what  I  have  received  of  my  parents.  I  desire  to  seo 
thi!  hand  of  (iod  in  it.,  and  hone  that  it  i*  both  for  your  advantage  and  mine, 
that  your  hearts  have  been  thus  opened  to  me,  nnd  that  (Jod  will  reward  you 
for  your  trouble  and  expense  of  temporal  or  carnal  things,  by  bestowing  upon 
you  spiritual  and  saving  blessings,  which  aro  infinitely  better;  and  that  your 
Ond  in  it.,  so  far  as  it  has  been  good,  will  bo  answered  by  my  being  made  a 
great  blessing  in  my  station  and  calling,  for  which  I  desire  the  continuance 
of  your  prayers. —  I  am  engaged  in  a  ditlicult  work,  and  how  dillicult  it  is  you 
novor  will  know,  because  it  can  he  known  only  by  experience.  My  business 
is  with  the  souls  of  men,  and  therefore  I  am  called  to  unwearied  diligence, 
and  my  timo  seems  more  precious  than  theirs  who  labor  for  this  world's  goods, 
—  I  wnh  1  might  nay  something,  before  I  end  this  letter,  that  might  tend  to 
your  spiritual  edification.  (),  think  of  eternity.  It  is  just  at  hand.  We  shall 
shortly  be  in  it.  I  cannot  bear  to  think  of  parting  with  you  forever;  but  it 
must  be,  unless  we  ore:  both  truly  religious.  The  things  of  religion  aro  as 
real  and  certain  as  they  were  two  or  three  years  ogo,  though,  alas!  the  land 
is  asleep.  I  am,  dear  mother,  your  obliged,  dutiful  son,  HAM'*,  HOI-KINS. 

"'Sheffield,  October  '|,>,  1711.' 

"Methinks  the  hand  of  (Jod  is  to  be  seen  in  this  thing,  in  that  I  should  send 
her  a  letter  at  this  time,  though  I  never  sent  ono  particularly  to  her  before.  1 
desiro  to  bo  thankful  .that  I  was  then  led  to  express  my  thankfulness  to  her, 
seeing  I  had  no  opportunity  to  do  it  faco  to  face. 

'k  December  (I.  Attended  tho  funeral  of  my  deceased  mother.  Doubtless  wo 
had  ninny  to  mourn  with  us.  ()  that  I  might  mourn  aright,  and  suitably  im 
prove  (Jod's  dealings  towards  me  and  my  father's  family!  —  Attended  a  lecture 
after  the  funeral.  Mr.  Lovinworth  preached  upon  the  great  duty  of  resigna 
tion  to  Ciod's  will,  from  those  words,  %  Kings  iv.  '^(i.  —  Returned  homo  to. my 
father's  house,  and  find  it  as  it  wero  empty.  —  Sunday,  December  1).  Was 
called  up  this  morning  with  news  that  my  young  brother  was  dying.  I  got 
up,  prayed  with  it,  and  baptized  it.  After  that,  it  had  some  revival.  I  left  it 
and  went  to  meeting;  —  received  tho  sacrament,  and  preached  in  tho  afternoon 
from  Psalm  xxxix.  4.  Had  no  great  senso  of  tilings,  though  some  freedom  in 
preaching.  Camo  homo  and  found  my  brother  dead,  and  my  brother's  wife,, 
to  all  appearance,  taken  just  M  my  mother  was  before  sho  died.  O  that  God 
would  sanctify  his  dealings  to  this  family !  Surely  ho  la  frowning  upon  ua. 


MEMOIR,  "  55 

"  Monday,  December  10.  Attended  the  funeral  of  my  young  brother.  He 
"was  about  three  weeks  old  when  he  died.  Alas !  I  am  &  stupid,  senseless 
creature." 

Mr.  Hopkins  preached  more  than  four  years  at  Great  Barrington, 
previously  to  his  innrringe.  A  matrimonial  engagement,  which  ho 
had  formed  at  Northampton,  was  broken  off  in  a  way  honorable, 
but  tifllictivc  to  himself.  Another,  which  he  formed  at  Great  Bar- 
rington,  was  equally  inauspicious.  "He  paid  his  addresses,"  says 
Dr.  1'attcn,*  "to. a  young  woman  interesting  in  her  appearance  and 
manners,  and  of  a  bright  intellect,  who  was  also  rather  a  bcllo  in  the 
place.  She  favored  his  suit,  and,  so  far  as  appeared,  there  was  a 
mutual  attachment,  and  tho. time  of  their  marriage  was  not  far  dis 
tant.  But  u  former  lover,  who  hud  been  absent  sonic  time,  returned, 
with  the  design  of  renewing  his  attentions,  and,  by  indirect  or  ex 
plicit  manifestations  of  it,  excited  in  her  the  expectation  of  an  offer 
to  bo  his  wife.  These  intimations  engaged  her  affection,  and  when 
he  made  known  to  her  his  disappointment  and  his  desire,  sho  frankly 
disclosed  the  truth  to  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  assured  him,  '  that  however 
much  she  respected  and  esteemed  him,  she  could  not  fulfil  her  engage 
ment  to  him  from  the  heart.'  This,  ho  wild,  was  n  trial,  a  very  jjrent 
trial;  but,  as  she  had  not  designed  to  deceive  him  in  the  encourage 
ments  she  had  given  him,  ho  could  part  with  her  in  friendship." 

At  length,  on  January  13,  1718,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Joanna 
Ingersol,  daughter  of  Moses  Ingersol,  of  (treat  Harrington.  Dr.  Pat 
ten  says  of  her,  t  "  She  was  delicate  in  her  person  and  features,  of 
a  sprightly  disposition,  intelligent,  possessing  great  decision  of  char 
acter,  and  apparently  a  Christian."  Her  constitutional  tendencies 
were  consumptive.  During  the  last  twenty  years  of  her  married 
life,  she  was  an  intense  sufferer.  About  the  year  1780,  her  physical 
pains  were  so  great  as  to  ocx-asion  a  temporary  insanity.  In  less 
than  u  year,  she  recovered  tho  tone  of  her  mind,  but  still  her  dis 
tressing  maladies  remained  a  source  of  deep  grief  to  her  husband. 
The  evenness,  patience,  and  unwavering  benevolence  of  his,  temper 
were  a  great  solace  to  her  amid  her  nillictions.  lie  "  never  retired 
to  study,"  says  Dr.  Patten, f  "or  indulged  in  rest,"  till  he  had  made 
every  provision  for  her  comfort  which  kindness  could  suggest/' 

In  one  year  from  his  marriage,  he  was  again  bereaved,    lie  writes : 

"  February  4,  1740.  Reached  my  father's  house  lute  in  tho  night.  Find 
my  futlior  very  nick,  and  two  brothers  and  t\vo  sisters,  with  tho  measles.  My 
father  knew  me,  und  asked  mo  why  I  was  so  long  in  coming;  told  mo  ho 
seat  for  mo  that  I  might  wo  him  onco  more  before  hi!  died,  [and]  asked  mo  if 
I  did  not  think  ho  was  dying.  I  told  him  no.  I  asked  him  if  ho  was  willing 
to  die.  His  answer  was  such  as  gave  mo  great  concern  for  him.  I  was 
qaickly  willing  to  part  with  him,  if  ho  might  but  give  mo  evidence  of  his  com 
fortable  hopo  in  Christ,  before  lie  died;  but  wa«  soon  brought  to  give  up  UIIM 

*  Rcminiiccncci,  pp.  31,  32.  t  Ib.  p.  23,  J  Ib.  p.  113. 


00  MEMOIR. 

point,  if  ho  might  bnt  havo  a  saving  interest  in  Christ,  and  the  comfort  of  it 
in  his  own  soul,  which  my  soul  longed  for;  and  I  was  enabled  to  seek  God 
earnestly  on  his  behalf,  having  my  mouth  filled  with  arguments;  and  after 
nil,  was  obliged  to  resign,  and  acknowledge  Clod  to  be  tho  sovereign  potter, 
having  a  right  to  do  what  ho  would,  and  that  he  could  do  no  wmng. 

"  February  5.  ^Vo  apprehend  my  father  is  dying.  I  mado  two  prayers 
with  him,  lie,  having  been  some  time  before  *]>eochioss,  revived  a  little,  nnd 
naid  hf  had  more,  hop?  now,  referring  to  tho  discourse  I  had  with  him  before. 
These  were  almost  tho  last  words  which  he  Hpako,  and  the  most  comfortable. 

1  had  sumo  views  of  the  infinity  of  (iod's  mercy,  and  expressed  it  in  prayer, 
and  hope  his  soul  fVlt  it." 

The  mother  of  Hopkins  died  at  tho  ngc  of  about  forty-three  years; 
the  father,  at  tho  ago  of  fifty-seven.  Samuel  was  the  executor  of 
his  father's  will.  Ultimately,  the  education  of  IMH  three  youngest 
brothers  was  devolved  upon  himself.  Ho  took  them  to  his  house, 
and  fitted  them  all  to  enter  college.  In  so  doing,  ho  performed  a 
good  service  to  tho  State.  His  brother  James  was  admitted  to  Ynlo 
College  in  1753,  when  be  wns  twenty-one  years  old.  In  less  than  a 
twelvemonth,  however,  be  died  at  New  Haven.  Samuel  hastened 
to  bis  death-bed,  grieved,  but  submissive. 

Daniel,  llio  next  brother,  educated  by  Samuel,  entered  Yale  Col 
lege  in  1751,  and  was  graduated  in  175H.  He  interested  himself  in 
the  early  struggles  of  bis  country  for  independence,  and  is  said  to 
have  received  SOUK;  peculiar  marks  of  confidence  from  (Jencral 
Washington.  He  was  u  member  of  the  Colonial  Congress,  and  in 
that  capacity  signed  large  quantities  of  the  Continental  paper- money. 
Ono  who  knew  him  well  says: 

u  He  was  ordained  pastor  of  tho  Third  Congregational  Church  at  Salem, 
Massachusetts,  in  the  year  177H,*  and  ho  remained  over  tho  namo  church 
until  the  day  of  his  death,  in  December,  ISM.  lid  wan  a  discriminating, 
faithful,  and  interesting  preacher,  a  devoted  and  excellent  pastor,  nnd  he 
enjoyed,  ir  a  high  degroo,  the  affection  of  his  people,  and  the  respect  of 
tho  community.  His  theological  opinions  agreed  with  those  of  his  brother 
Samuel,  except  on  the  mihjeet  of  submission;  and  there  he  di  tiered  chiefly,  if 
not  wholly,  on  the  mode  in  which  his  brother  explained  it.  He  entered  deeply 
into  tho  theological  speculations  of  his  brother,  and  was  acknowledged  bv  tnat 
divine  to'have  originally  suggested  his  argument  on  the  Doings  ot  the  iJnrc- 
generate.  Mr.  John  Morris,  the  benefactor  of  Andover  Theological  Seminary, 
was,  with  his  wife,  during  many  years,  a  member  of  Dr.  Daniel  Hopkins  i 
congregation,  and  they  were  strongly  attached  to  him  until  the  day  of  their 
deuth.f  Mr.  Norris  \\t\n  also  very  strongly  attached  to  tho  theological  system 
of  Dr.  Samuel  Hopkins,  and  testified  his  respect  to  him  bv  giving  to  one  of 
his  [Dr.  H.'s]  granddaughters  a  permanent  home  in  his  [Mr.  N.'s]  own  fam 
ily.  Other  intimate  friends  of  Sir.  Norris  s:iy  that  he  "became  acquainted 
with  Dr.  Samuel  Hopkins  during  the  frequent  visits  of  the  latter  to  Salem, 
and  often  made  him  valuable  presents."  An  inmate  of  his  family  writes  that 
Mr.  Norris  "often  conversed  on  the  Hopkinsian  doctrines,  and  seemed  totako 
great  pleasure  in  tho  thought  that  they  were  to  be  taught  at  Andover." 

'  He  in  said  to  IMVT  brru  introduced  to  that  church  by  his  brother  Samuol,  who  had 
proacliod  a  number  of  wocks  nl  Hnlotn,  in  17('>G  nnd  17G7. 

f  Mr.  Norris  died  December  22,  1U08,  aged  fifly-icvcn  yeari.  Mrs.  Norm  died 
March  51,  1311,  afcd  fifty-four  ycari. 


MEMOIR.  C7 

But  the  subject  of  this  Memoir  expended  his  greatest  caro  upon 
Mark,  his  younger  brother.  When  Murk  was  in  his  tenth  year,  lie 
became  n  member  of  Samuel's  family,  mid  continued  such  about  five 
years,  until  he  entered  college.  He  was  a  classmate  lit  Yale  with 
his  brother  Daniel,  and  with  Silas  Dearie.  Ho  commenced  the 
practice  of  law  about  1701,  at  Great  Harrington,  and  resided 
about  ten  years  a  near  neighbor  of  Samuel,  who  had  trained  him 
for  usefulness.  Ho  was  eminent  in  his  profession.  He  instructed 
many  law  students,  and  among  them  the  celebrated  Judge  Theodore 
Sedgwiek.  In  1*05,  ho  married  Klccta  Sergeant,  a  daughter  of  tlio 
well-known  Stockbridgo  missionary.  He  left  four  sons  and  one 
daughter.  Archibald,  his  oldest  son,  was  the  father  of  President 
Mark  Hopkins,  and  Professor  Albert  Hopkins,  of  Williams  College. 
In  the  revolutionary  war,  Colonel  Mark  Hopkins  distinguished  hi  ni 
ne  If  us  a  patriot.  He  entered  the  army;  was  taken  sick  with  a 
fever  at  White  Plains,  and  died  there,  October  20,  1770,  only  two 
days  before  the  memorable  battle  at  that  place.  He  was  thirty- 
seven  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  death. 

Dr.  Hopkins  also  educated  for  practical  life  two  of  his  brothers- 
in-law.  He  had  five  sons  and  three  daughters,  all  born  in  (ireat 
Harrington.  He  was  reserved  before  his  children,  methodical  and 
strict  in  his  discipline,  yet  remarkably  free  from  a  morose  and  irri 
tating  treatment  of  them.  His  attachment* to  them  and  to  his  grand 
children  was  deep,,  and  they  nil  felt  an  unbounded  reverence  for 
him.  As  a  father,  ho  belonged  to  the  old  school.  A  single  inci 
dent,  narrated  by  one  *  who  lived,  for  a  time,  in  the  family  of  Mr. 
Hopkins,  will  let  us  into  the  general  course  of  things  in  the  parson 
age  of  (ireat  Harrington.  "In  his  strict  attention  to  the  Sabbath, 
he  [Mr.  H.]  excelled  the  most  «f  devout  Christians.  From  evening 
to  evening  ho  celebrated  the  Christian  Sabbath  ;  and  to  impress  his 
own  mind  and  the  mind  of  his  family  with  the  importance  of  ob 
serving  holy  time,  he  uniformly,  at  sunset,  introduced  and  concluded 
the  exercises  of  the  Sabbath  by  family  prayer.  This  domestic  signal 
of  holy  time,  ho  found,  by  lon'g  experience,  to  be  attended  with 
peculiar  advantage." 

His  oldest  (laughter,  Eli/.abeth,  received  much  of  her  education 
in  Huston.  She  was  an  accomplished  lady,  and  an  engaging  Chris 
tian.  She  married  Dr.  John  Sibley,  a  man  of  wealth,  of  eminence 
in  his  'profession,  and  of  extensive  usefulness.  In  his  early  life,  he 
was  a  surgeon  of  the  revolutionary  army,  and  distinguished  himself 
by  his  patriotic  spirit.  After  the  close  of  the  war,  he  removed  to 
Fayctteville,  North  Carolina,  at  which  place  Mrs.  Sibley  died,  Oc 
tober  &">,  1791),  leaving  two  sons.  Of  late  years,  their  descendants 
have  resided  chiefly  in  Missouri  and  Louisiana.  Several  m<  sabers 

•  Dr.  Samuel  Spring.     Sec  MnsiaclmsoUs  Missionary  Magazine,  vol.  i.  p.  363. 


68  MEMOIR. 

of  their  family  belong  to  the  United  States  army,  and  have  been 
recently  brevctted  for  their  achievements  in  our  late  Mexican  war. 
His  second  daughter,  Mrs.  Joanna  Fisher,  of  Mcdwny,  Massachu 
setts,  died  Juno  15,  1780.  Her  father  says  of  her:  She  was  "a 
peculiarly  dear  and  amiable  child,"  and  appeared  to  be  •«  graciously 
prepared  for  heaven."  She  left  one  daughter,  who  subsequently 
resided  with  Dr.  Hopkins.  —  His  third  daughter,  Rhoda,  wife  of  tho 
excellent  Captain  John  Anthony,  of  Newport,  was  also  an  exem 
plary  Christian.  She  lived  in  the  house  with  her  father,  relieving 
him  throughout  the  prolonged  sickness  of  her  mother,  but,  deeply  to 
his  grief,  died,  September  22,  171)2,  in  her  twenty-seventh  year.  She 
left  one  child. 

His  oldest  son,  General  David  Hopkins,  was  a  man  of  large  prop 
erty  and  influence,  near  Baltimore,  in  Maryland,  where  he  died,  leav 
ing  several  children.  —  Dr.  Hopkins'tt  second  son,  Moses,  was  a  highly 
respected  magistrate  and  yeoman,  in  (ireat  Harrington,  Massachu 
setts.  Ho  was  eminent  for  his  strength  of  mind  and  his  sterling  vir 
tue.  He  hud  nine  children,  and  many  of  his  descendants  are  now 
useful  members  of  society..  Having  been  county  register  more  than 
fifty  years,  ho  died  ut  the  ago  of  eighty-four.  —  Dr.  Hopkins's  third 
«on,  Levi,  was  a  member  of  Princeton  College  two  years  or  more, 
but  was  compelled  to  leave,  through  ill  health.  He  subsequently  lived 
and  died  in  Virginia.  Ho  left  six  children.  —  Dr.  Hopkins'«  fourth 
won,  Samuel,  resided  on  the  homestead  at  (Jreat  Harrington,  was  a 
thriving  farmer,  and  left  three  children.  —  The  firth  son,  Daniel,  died 
in  Maryland,  in  17HH,  ut  tho  ago  of  twenty-four.  —  The  personal  ap 
pearance  of  these  eight  children  is  said  to  have  indicated  a  strong  and 
decided  character.  They  were  all  well  instructed.  Some  of  them 
inherited  the  fruil  constitution  of  their  mother. 


SK.CT.   XVII.    INFLUENCE  ON   PUBLIC  MEN. 

In  the  preceding  section  has,  been  disclosed  the  formative  power 
exerted  by  Hopkins  on  several  noted  individuals'  related  to  him  by 
blood.  He  was  u  still  more  conspicuous  benefactor  to  the  world,  in 
moulding  the  character  of  a  few  other  individuals,  related  to  him  by 
a  spiritual  allitiity. 

Tho  first  of  these  is  Rev.  Dr.  Jonathan  lahVardn,  President  of 
Union  College,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  a  divine  who  will  ho  honored 
in  succeeding  ages,  for  having  given  so  much  of  its  present  excel 
lence  to. the  New  Kngland  theology.  It  has  been  said  that  he,  more 
than  Dr.  Hopkins  himself,  was  the  father  of  the  Hopkinsian  sys 
tem.  Ho  was  certainly  not  HO  in  all  respects.  Nearly  all  of  tho 
following  narrative  is  from  Dr.  Patten:* 

•  Romiuiicrncr*,  pp.  4.V-47.  Hoe  nUo  Foremen's  I.ifo  of  Hopkim,  pp.  63,  M. 
The  samo  relation,  for  snlMunor,  hu*  bccu  given  by  various  other  persons  acquainted 
wall  Drs.  Kdwarils  and  Hopkins. 


MEMOIR.  59 

u  When  Edwards  was  In  hia  twenty-first  year,  and  had  been  graduated  at 
Princeton  College, « he  hod  not  examined  the  theological  system  adopted  by 
his  father,  but  objected  strenuously,  and  with  much  confidence,  to  some  of  it« 
leading  doctrines.  Mr.  Hopkins,  from  regard  to  his  [Edwards's]  father,  and 
concern,  oa  well  as  affection,  for  tl»o  non,  invited  him  to  make  his  house  his 
homo  for  the  winter,  offering  him  a  room  with  a  fire,  and  every  facility  that  he 
could  give  him  in  the  pursuit  of  his  studies  ;  and,  as  a  particular  motive,  men 
tioned  that  he  had  the  manuscripts  of  his  father,  winch  he  would  have  oppor 
tunity  to  peruse. 

"  Young  Mr.  E.,  without  much  persuasion,  accepted  the  offer.  Ho  was 
amiable  in  his  temper,  but  prompt  and  self-opinionated.  Mr.  II.  soon  put  into 
his  hands  a  manuscript  of  his  father's,  maintaining  a  doctrine  which  he  had 
controverted.  When  he  had  read  it,  ho  brought  forward  objections  which  he 
appeared  to  think  conclusive.  But  Mr.  II.  attorn pted  to  correct  his  misappre 
hensions,  and  to  explain  and  strengthen,  by  additional  proof,  tho  arguments 
of  his  father.  Young  Mr.  E.  was  not  convinced,  though  his  zeal  was  in  some 
measure  abated.  Ho  retired  for  reflection  and  the  adjustment  of  his  ideas, 
expecting  to  bring  new  force  in  tho  morning.  Imt  in  the  next  conversation 
he  became  more  embarrassed,  and  found  that  the  subject  required  a  deeper 
investigation  than  ho  had  ever  paid  to  it.  Under  a  conviction  of  his  con 
science,  ho  became  docile  as  a  child,  and  made  rapid  proficiency  in  that  be 
lief  in  doctrines  for  which  he  could  give  a  reason."  "Ho  ever  retained  a 
filial  respect  and  affection  for  Mr.  Hopkins,  nnd  contributed  to  his  support 
when  he  feured  he  might  be  in  want,  and  Mr.  II.  felt  a  kind  of  pride  in  him 
as  a  son.  In  tho  hearing  of  the  writer,  when  some  one  WUH  highly  praising 
Dr.  E.,  Mr.  II.  said, '  Me  make  him,1  alluding  to  an  nged  Indian  minister,  who 
used  this  expression  on  hearing  a  young  Indian  preacher  commended,  who 
was  very  popular,  and  who  had  been  brought  up  under  his  instruction."  * 

The  second  individual  on  whom  Hopkins  exerted  a  formative,  in 
fluence,  nnd  through  whom  lie  has  made  a  deep  impress  on  the  pub 
lic,  is  Rev.  Dr.  Stephen  West,  the  successor  of  President  Edwards 
at  Stoekbridgc.  lie  was  ordained  on  the  1'Jth  day  of  June,  175!), 
und  *»  has  been  heard  to  acknowledge,  that  for  eight  years  lie  at 
tempted  to  preach  u  Saviour  whom  lie  knew  not."t  He  was  u 
decided  opposer  of  tho  doctrines  which  President  Edwards  had 

*  "  Dr.  Kdwards  was  graduated  in  September,  17f>3,  and  nfler  n  very  short  visit  nt 
Stockbridge,  went  the  fuuno  nnlumn  to  Dr.  Hopkins'*,  ut  (Jireat  Harrington,  nnd  re 
mained  there  through  the  winter,  till  the  next  July  }  nnd  then  went  to  Dr.  Ilellamy, 
witb  whom  he  remained  till  October  of  the  name  year,  when  hu  was  licensed  l>v  the 
I.itchfield  Association."  So  writes  HcHiuny'g  biographer,  who  lias  nlso  communi 
cated  tho  following  letter  of  introduction,  sent  by  Hopkins  to  Hellumy,  wl  the  tiino  of 
young  Edwards'*  going  to  complete  his  studies  nt  Helhlem  :  "July  7,  17(1(1.  Sir 
Kdwards  [(his  win  the.  usual  designation  of  the  young  men  studying  with  Dr.  Ilel- 
lamy  and  Dr.  Hopkins]  will,  I  ho|K*,  get  n  great  deal  of  good  nl  your  house.  Ho 
will  tuko  it  kindly  if  you  converse  with  him  particularly  nlxnit  his  personal  religion, 
nnd  net  the  p«rt  of  a  father  to  him,  in  freely  giving  him  your  best  counsel  nnd  advice. 
Ho  is,  1  think,  nn  honest,  conscientious  lad.  nnd  in  consequence  of  my  kind  treatment 
of  him,  ho  trusts  in  mo  as  n  father.  He  lias  a  high  tiwlo  for  good  s|>e-nking,  nnd  will 
lx>  of  service  to  your  pupils  wilh  respect  to  this,  if  you  promote  the  matter.  I  would 
humbly  propose  thnt  cvcrv  day,  or  fre<|uentlv,  at  least,  some  time  should  bo  .spent  iu 
pronouncing,  by  rending  some  book,  or  their  own  composition  5  and  let  them  correct 
each  other,  or  itnnd  corrected  by  you."  When  Samuel  Hopkins  requests  Joseph  Hcl- 
Uiiiy  to  discipline  Jonathan  Edward*  in  elocution,  our  young  minister*  may  well  begin 
to  discipline  themselves. 

t  Dr.  Alvtin  Hyde'i  Sketches  of  tho  Life,  Miniitry,  and  Writings  of  Rev.  Stcphea 
Wcit,  D.  D.,  p.  9. 


60  MEMOIR. 

advocated;  but  being:  inquisitive,  critical,  studious,  bo  cultivated  an 
intimacy,  and  sought  frequent  opportunities  for  discussion  with  Hop 
kins,  his  clerical  neighbor.  He  first  studied  tho  subjects  on  which  he 
intended  to  converse,  and  then  visited  that  neighbor,  with  a  fond 
expectation  of  subduing  him  in  the  argument.  J)ny  after  day,  how 
ever,  he  rode  back  discomfited.  Still,  day  after  day,  he  renewed 
IIM  onset ;  until,  at  length,  Hopkins  made  one  of  his  strong  appeals 
to  the  moral  sensibility  of  West.  The  appeal  was  decisive.  "  Con 
victed  in  conscience  that  ho  stood  a.s  a  blind  loader  of  the  blind, 
ho  [West]  was  brought  to  a  solemn  pause.  His  solicitude  was 
great,  and  his  compunctions  for  sin  were  powerful  and  indescriba 
ble."  *  Soon,  however,  ho  l>egan  to  see  the  consistency  of 
doctrines  which  lie  had  previously  imagined  to  be  irreconcilable. 
Ho  rejoiced  in  tho  truth.  He  changed  his  stjlo  of  discourse.  A 
revival  of  religion  followed  the  change.  During  his  subsequent  min 
istry,  his  preaching  was  attended  with  five  other  revivals.  lie 
admitted  to  his  church  five  hundred  and  four  apparent  Christians, 
retained  for  fifty-nine  years  the  pastoral  cure  of  an  intelligent  people, 
wrote  more  than  three  thousand  sermons,  published  nineteen  books, 
and  instructed  many  students  in  theology.  President  Kirklund, 
Dr.  Hyde,  Dr.  Catlin,  and  Dr.  Samuel  Spring,  were  his  theological 
pupils.  He  was  a  Coryplums  of  Hopkinsiuntsm.  As  the  pastor  of 
(Sreiit  Harrington  exerted  n  controlling  influence  over  Dr.  West,  so 
West  had  great  power  over  Samuel  Spring;  and  this  is  the  divine 
who  accomplished  more  than  any  one  man  for  the  establishment  of 
Andover  Theological  Seminary. 

Dr.  Spring,  however,  pursued  his  theological  studies  not  altogether 
with  Dr.  West,  but  partly  also  with  Dr.  Hopkins  himself ;  and,  accord 
ing  to  one  account,  with  Dr.  Dclhuny  mid  Dr.  Withcrspoon  likewise. 
lli]  wiiH  a  profound  admirer  of  Hopkins,  paid  frequent  and  reveren 
tial  visits  to  him  as  long  as  ho  lived,  was  related  to  him  by  marriage, 
and  received  from  him  in  personal  intercourse,  as  well  as  through 
tho  iredium  of  Dr.  West,  that  influence  which  he  intended  to  trans 
fuse,  us  far  ns  the. Moderate  Calvinists  who  formed  n  "union"  with 
him  would  allow,  into  hix  cherished  seminary.  Here  is  another 
point  of  indirect  communication  between  Hopkins  and  a  seminary 
which  began  its  existence  nearly  five  years  after  his  deiith.t 

A  third  individual,  over  whom  the  minister  of  (Jrcat  Harrington 
'ixcrcised  u  decisive  influence,  was  ttov.  David  Sunford,  of  Mcdwuy, 
Massachusetts.  This  gentleman  »•  had  lit  nn  early  ago  received  a 

•  Dr.  Hydo'i  Hkrtchon  of  tlio  I/ifo,  Ministry,  and  W-IMIR*  of  Dr.  West,  pp.  1,  0. 

f  Dr.  I'nllrn  pivos  tin  account  of  HnpkinVs  nprney  in  trHiinforming  ihc  life  of  Went; 
but  the  fallout  account  is  (fivcn  in  Fcrginon'*  Memoir  of  Hopkin*,  pp.  46-52.  Sec 
nl*o  tho  Skotchc'1  of  tho  Life,  Min'ulry,  and  WrUinj**  of  Dr.  Went,  l>y  Kov.  Dr.  Alvan 
Hyde,  of  Len,  Mnssncluiaelli.  When  it  it  snid  that  Wc»t  and  Spring  wcro  Hopkin- 
liaiu,  it  is  mount  (hut  they  wcro  llopkiusiiuu  of  tho  Kinmoui  type. 


MEMOIR.  61 

liberal  education.  The  intention  of  bis  parents  was,  to  prepare  him 
for  the  ministry ;  but  being  destitute  of  religion  when  he  arrived  at 
manhood,  his  attention  was  directed  to  agriculture*  As  a  farmer,  he 
was  located  in  the  town  of  which  Mr.  Hopkins  was  the  minister. 
They  married  sisters.  But  although  thus  nearly  related,  Mr.  San- 
ford  was  a  bitter  opposer  of  the  religion  and  preaching  of  his  brother 
Hopkins.  To  him  the  preaching  of  Mr.  Hopkins  appeared  con 
temptible  and  foolish  ;  and  on  this  ground  he  justified  himself  in 
giving  only  an  occasional  attendance  on  his  ministry.  But  although 
lie  thus  sought  to  justify  his  neglect  of  the  instituted  means  of 
grace,  his  conscience  was  by  no  means  easy.  As  an  evidence  of  his 
state  of  mind  at  this  time,  and  the  rankling  opposition  of  his  heart, 
ho  afterwards  mentioned,  that  while  at  work  on  his  farm,  on  removing 
a  log  which  had  become  imbedded  in  the  ground,  his  attention  was 
directed  to  a  number  of  [interesting]  and  to  him  uncommon  animal 
cules.  After  observing  them  for  a  moment,  he  thus  expressed  the 
rankling  feelings  of  his  heart :  •  Hopkins  says  that  nothing  was 
made  in  vain,  and  for  what  were  you  made  ? '  At  the  same  moment 
crushing  them  beneath  his  feet,  he  continued,  *  There,  that  is  what 
you  were  made  for.'  «  Yes,'  said  a  voico  within,  which  spoke  tho 
language  of  conscience,  « they  were  made  to  show  forth  tho  enmity 
of  your  heart  against  God.'  "* 

In  this  state  of  hostility  to  his  pastor's  theological  opinions,  it  be 
came  necessary  for  him  to  have  frequent  interviews  with  Mr.  Hop 
kins,  in  reference  to  some  pro[>erty  which  was  to  be  divided  between 
their  respective  wives.  Mr.  San  ford  was  determined  to  irritate,  if 
possible-,  the  minister  who  was  so  much  noted  for  his  equable  temper. 
lie  longed  for  one  victory  over  that  Christian  patience.  Aiming  at 
this  result,  ho  proposed  such  a  division  of  tho  property  as  was  glar 
ingly  unjust  to  Mrs.  Hopkins,  and  ho  accompanied  his  proposal  with 
biting  raillery  and  sarcasm.  He  succeeded  in  his  plot.  Hopkins 
was  excited,  arid,  Into  in  tho  evening,  left  his  brother's  house  in  an- 
uvr.  But  he  was  unused  to  such  irritation.  He  noon  became 

o 

ashamed  of  it.  lie  could  not  sleep  at  all  during  tho  night.  The 
next  morning  was  very  cold,  but  at  an  early  hour  Mr.  Sunford  looked 
out  of  his  chamber  window,  and  saw  tho  injured  man  approaching. 
O.\  entering  tho  house,  Mr.  Hopkins  requested  that  the  family  might 
bo  called  together  ;  and  when  all  were  convened,  ho  acknowledged 
his  resentful  words  during  the  last  evening's  interview,-  implored  for 
giveness  for  them,  and  consented  to  any  reasonable  division  of  tho 
property  which  his  brother  might  propose.  Mr.  Sanford  was  over 
whelmed.  Ho  knew  that  ho  had  inveigled  the  unsuspecting  Christian 

*  Fcrgunon'i  Memoir  of  Hopkins,  p.  41,»eq.  The  remainder  of  iho  narrative  !•  taken 
from  Kcrgu*on,  Pnlten'i  Rominisronrei,  pp.  50-&1,  and  from  tho  private  ecrreipond- 
once  of  several  gentlemen  who  wore  familiar  with  tho  irrno.  In  lubatance,  all  tho  u«r- 
rativcs  ngreo,  but  differ  somewhat  in  form. 


62  MEMOIR. 

into  tho  resentment  of  the  last  evening ;  he  knew  that  he  had 
given  him  reason  to  be  indignant ;  nnd,  although  ho  had  felt  a  trans 
gressor's  triumph  during  tho  night,  ho  was  now  assured,  by  this  hum 
ble  confession,  tlmt  a  pious  heart  is  nobler  tlmn  worldly  tact.  He 
never  forgot  that  morning's  visit,  Ho  upoko  of  it  till  his  dying  dny. 
Under  the  influence  of  it,  ho  became  n  rnnn  of  God.  His  father, 
(who  was  n  friend  of  David  Brninord,  and  named  thin  son  in  honor 
of  that  pious  missionary,)  hud  originally  designed  him  for  the  sacred 
office,  and  had  once  sent  him  to  pursue  bis  theological  course  with 
Dr.  Bellamy.  The  son,  however,  then  felt  his  unfitness  for  tho  work, 
and  noon  relinquished  the  preparative  study.  But  now  bo  recom 
menced  tho  delightful  preparation.  For  thirty-seven  years  he  satis 
fied  and  delighted  one  of  the  largest  churches  in  Massachusetts. 
Ho  became  a  theological  author  and  teacher.  He.  was  honored  as 
an  instrument  of  many  religious  revivals.  Ho  has  now  several  de 
scendants  in  tho  ministry.  He  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Samuel 
Spring  and  Natlmnael  Kmmons.  The  latter  divine,  unused  to  ex 
travagant  praise,  says  of  him  :  * 

"  The  Author  of  nature  endowed  Mr.  Sanford  with  a  rich  variety  of  rare 
and  superior  tulents.  lie  possessed  a  quick  apprehension,  n  clenr  and  sound 
judgment,  a  lively  imagination,  and  an  uncommon  knowledge  of  human  na 
ture.  These  intellectual  powers,  sanctified  by  divine  grace,  titled  him  to 
shino  with  peculiar  lustre  in  every  branch  of  his  ministerial  olHce,  But  per 
haps  he  appeared  to  tho  best  advantage  as  a  speaker,  for  which  his  body,  as 
veil  as  his  mind,  was  peculiarly  formed.  He  had  a  piercing  eye,  a  significant 
countenance,  a  majestic  appearance,  and  a  strong,  clear,  melodious  voice, 
which  he  was  ablo  to  modulate  with  ease  and  propriety.  I  know  no  man,  of 
any  profession,  in  the  circle  of  my  acquaintance,  \vlio  surpassed  him  in  natu 
ral  eloquence.  Ho  was  able  to  move  any  passion  which  do  wished  to  move, 
whether  love  or  hatred,  hope  or  fear,  joy  or  sorrov,  Ho  knew  every  avenue 
to  tho  human  heart,  and  could  make  the  deepest  impressions  UJXMI  it/' 

It  was  oil  en  said,  that  if  Hopkins  bad  possessed  the  oratorical 
gifts  of  bis  brother-in-law,  bo  would  have  been  another  Whitefield. 
But  although  destitute  of  Whitcfield's  power,  Hopkins  would  have 
been  a  benefactor  to  his  race,  if  he  bad  done  no  mort  for  them  tbau 
that  which  be  did  through  the  medium 'of  the  eminent  divines  just 
named.  How  few  have  accomplished  more  than  the  younger  Kd- 
wnrds  in  exhibiting  the  truths  of  the  Bible,  free  from  the  admix 
tures  of  a  false  and  bewildering  metaphysics. 

One  secret  of  the  power  which  tho  subject  of  this  Memoir  wield 
ed  over  bis  theological  adversaries,  lay  in  bis  general  self-possession. 
"When  past  the  age  of  fourscore  years,  bo  confessed  to  his  friend 
Dr.  C.  J.  Tenney,  that  in  bis  early  lifo  be  bad  found  it  difficult  to 

•  Hro  KnunoMft'i  Work*,  vol.  i.  p.  Ml.  A  Discourse  nt  tho  Kuncrnl  of  Kov.  Daviil 
Snnford,  A.  JVI.,  IMi-dwny,  who  died  April  7.  1U10,  n^cd  73.  Hon  nlxo  Dr.  Kmmonii'i 
Diicottrno  nt  tho  Fnnurnl  of  Mn,  lluthshuhu  Siuitonl,  \vifo  of  Kcv.  D.  Sonford,  and 
•iitor  of  Mri.  Dr.  Hopkins  ;  Worki,  vol.  iii.  pp.  !MU. 


MEMOIR.  68 

preserve  an  even  temper;  but  he  added:  "For  more  than  thirty 
years  [referring  to  his  interview  with  Mr.  Sanford],  I  have  not  felt 
an  angry  emotion,  nor  do  I  think  it  probable  that  I  shall  ever  feel 
another."  It  was  this  command  over  himself  which  gave  him  his 
command  over  others.  His  equanimity  qualified  him  for  micccusful 
debate.  He  was  wont  to  hear  his  opponent*  patiently,  and  when 
they  had  stated  all  their  objections  without  being  interrupted  by 
him,  lie  would  make  hit)  culm,  but  sometimes  .pithy  reply.  Dr. 
West,  who  knew,  for  ho  had  keenly  felt,  the  power  of  Hopkins'* 
logic,  makes  thu  following  ingenuous,  and,  in  itself,  very  probable 
statement :  * 

"  Honored  as  I  was  with  his  friendship,  I  may  bo  liable  to  prejudice  ;  but, 
on  long  and  intiumtn  acquaintance,  it  has  appeared  to  inn  that  ho  possessed  a 
caiuior  of  mind  which  is  rarely  to  bo  found.  Men  of  the  first  abilities  and 
acquirement*,  liko  others,  nro  apt  to  bo  tenacious  oT  opinions  they  have  o'nco 
imbibed.  Having  fanned  them,  an  they  apprehend,  on  mature  thought  and 
deliberation,  they  noon  become  possessed  of  a  prejudice  unfavorable  to  light 
and  evidence  which  might  correct  them.  Rare  it  wan,  that  any  one  was  ca 
pable  of  detecting  an  error  in  the  sentiments  of  Dr.  Hopkins  on  moral  and 
religious  subject*.  Hut  he  was  remarkably  open  to  conviction,  whenever  evi 
dence  was  exhibited  of  the  incorrectness  of  any  of  his  opinions.  Truth 
appeared  to  bo  so  much  the  object  of  his  search,  that  ho  discovered  an  unu 
sual  readiness  to  admit  it,  from  whatever  quarter  it  came ;  and  that  even 
.though  ho  might  find  error  in  himself  detected  by  it  Did  wo  all  search  the 
Scriptures  without  any  prepossession  or  prejudice,  wo  should  undoubtedly  im 
bibe  truth  without  error.  As  might  bo  expected  with  such  candor  of  mind, 
his  manner,  in  verbal  dispute,  was  unusually  mild,  fair,  and  moderate.  Far 
from  being  overbearing,  ho  ever  gavo  every  just  advantage  to  his  opponent, 
patiently  hearing  whatever  he  advanced  in  lavor  of  his  opinions,  and  giving 
aim  full  opportunity  to  vindicate  them  by  every  argument  he  thought  favor 
able.  And  as  the  Doctor  had  a  happy  talent  of  expressing  his  own  arguments 
with  peculiar  perspicuity,  by  those  means  ho  often  convinced  and  gained  over 
his  opjK)serrt ;  when,  had  his  manner  been  austoro  and  overbearing,  however 
conclusive  his  arguments,  tho  opposite  party  would  have  remained  uncon 
vinced,  and  received  no  benefit*  11(5  had  a  mind  peculiarly  formed  for  friend 
ship,  and  appeared  to  bo  indeed  the  faithful  friend.  No  ono  entered  into 
greater  nearness  and  intimacy  of  Christian  friendship,  or  gave,  or  seemed  to 
enjov,  greater  pleasure  in  tho  society  and  friendship  of  Christians.  And  his 
*uiml\eeted  ease  and  openness,  together  with  the  instructivoness  of  his  con 
versation,  were  such  as  made  his  company  greatly  sought,  and  his  friendship 
highly  valued,  by  the  lovers  of  religion  and  truth." 

It  wus  in  view  of  such  facts  as  those  above  recited,  that  Hopkins 
closed  his  Autobiography  in  1790,  with  the  words  of  joy : 

"  I  have  particular  reason  to  bo  thankful  and  rejoice  that  I  have  been  tho 
means  of  tho  conversion  of  more  than  one  who  are  now  in  the  ministry,  (which 
they  themselves  think  is  a  fact,)  and  of  enlightening  and  removing  tho  preju 
dices  of  others,  who  were  before  in  a  great  measure  blind  to  those  truths 
which  they  now  see  to  bo  evident  and  important.  May  I  not.  rejoice  in  this  ? 
Ami  may  1  not  hope  'to  rejoice  in  tho  day  of  Christ  that  I  have  not  run  in 
vain,  neither  labored  in  vain?1  May  God  have  all  tho  glory.  A»non."f 

•  Wc*t'i  Sketchoi,  etc.  pp.  xii.-iiv.  f  Ib.  pp.  103)  104. 


64  MEMOIR. 

Tho  influence  of  Dr.  Hopkins  on  public  mon  1ms  been,  of  itself, 
enough  to  call  forth  the-  gratitude  of  posterity.  Many  of  the  most 
prominent  individuals  in  the  early  benevolent  operations  of  this 
century  were  his  pupils  or  disciples.  For  instance,  on  the  28th 
of  May,  1799,  thirty-eight  men  formed  tho  Massachusetts  Mission 
ary  Society,  of  whom  tho  greater  part  were  firm  Ilopkinsians, 
and  the  first  two  names  subscribed  to  the  constitution  of  that 
society,  wero  David  Sanford  and  Daniel  Hopkins.  Dr.  Enunons 
was  the  first,  and  Dr.  Daniel  Hopkins  was  tho  second  president; 
Dr,  Austin  was  the  first  secretary  of  the  society.  Dr.  IvmmonH 
was  the  first  preacher  before  it.  Air.  Sanford  and  Dr.  Daniel  lloj>- 
ktn*  were  tho  first  two  on  tho  list  of  trustees.  Dr«  Kmuiotis,  Mr. 
Sanford,  Dr.  Daniel  Hopkins,  and  Dr.  Spring  wens  the  first  four  on 
the  editorial  list  of  tho  ^Massachusetts  Missionary  Maga/ine,  a  period 
ical  projeeted  by  the  society  in  ISO'S,  and  in  I  SOS  united  with  the 
l>anoplist,  and  in  ISI7  merged  into  the  Missionary  Herald.  The 
object  of  this  society  was,  "to  dill'use  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel 
among  the  ficuthrnSi  as  well  as  other  people  in  the  remote  parts  of 
our  country,  when*  Christ  is  seldom  or  never  preached."  Dr. 
Samuel  Hopkins  evinced  the  liveliest  interest  in  it.  His  missionary 
spirit  animated  his  disciples.  He  manifested  thin  spirit  in  his  inter 
course  with  them,  and  in  his  public  addresses:  see  particularly  his 
"Farewell  to  the  World."* 


SKCT.  XVIII.    OKNERAL  INFLUISNCK  IN  TUP.  COMMUNITY. 

A  parish  minister  is  a  city  set  on  a  hill.  His  light  radiates  over 
the  surrounding  vales.  While  Mr.  Hopkins  resided  in  (Jreat  Har 
rington,  he  gave  a  decided  impulse  to  tho  formation  of  every  Con 
gregational  church,  beginning  its  existence  at  that  period  and  in  that 
neighborhood.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he  did  more  than  idl 
others  in  establishing  the  new  churches  on  the  right  basis,  with 
regard  to  the  Half  Way  Covenant.t  In  this  particular  he  "fought* 
a  good  fight"  for  modern  Christians,  some  of  whom,  forgetting  the 
conqueror,  rejoice  in  the  victory.  He,  was  regarded  as  a  champion 
for  the  unpopular  doctrine,  that  JMTSOUS  exhibiting  no  evidence  of  a 
renewed  heart  should  not  bo  admitted  to  tho  Lord's  supper,  and 
that  persons  not  coming  to  the  Lord's  supper  should  not  oiler  their 
children  for  baptism. J  Having  been  urged  by  some  of  his  fricndn 

•  It  inny  here  be  mentioned,  by  llio  way,  that  llio  American  Doctrinal  Tract  Society, 
which  »o\v  published  Dr.  Hopkins'*  workn.xvas  at  first  formed  exclusively  l>y  liopkinsinn 
divine*. 

f  Textimony  of  Uev.  Samuel  Sbepard,  I).  D.,  of  I.rnox,-Mii«*urhusctti. 

,  Many  clergyman,  on  ordaining  council*,  opposed  tho  ortlination  of  uny  candidate 
who  adopted  llie  Kdwardcan  theory  on  thin  Mihjrrl.  Mr.  Hopkin*  wn«  ol'u-n  summoned 
to  contend  against  them,  in  behalf  of  religious  liberty.  Ho  sometimes  came  as  near 


MEMOIR.  65 

in  New  Jersey  to  discourse  on  this  subject  in  that  colony*  he  writes, 
December  21,  1764: 

"  I  am  not  clear  that  it  is  worth  while  or  prudent  to  raise  all  that  fire  which 
will  unavoidably  bo  kindled  un  in  the  Jersey,  for  many  miles  round,  both 
among  ministers  and  people,  if  1  should  go  and  declare  and  inculcate  my  sen- 
timcntH,  in  the  present  situation  of  affaire.  Is  it  not  a  pity  to  break  in  upon 
that  peace  and  harmony  they  now  enjoy  ?  I  am  sure,  if  it  may  and  ou^ht  to 
be  done,  it  in  an  ungrateful  task.  I  should  bo  stigmatized  through  all  that 
world,  aa  a  stifc  rigid,  imprudent  mischief-maker ;  and  all  the  ministers  would 
sincerely  wish  mo  back  to  New  England,  if  not  to  the  moon.  And  what  good 
would  bo  dono  ?  Tho  maxim  our  Huviour  acted  upon,  (John  xvi.  1'JI,)  in  por- 
hnps  applicable  to  this  rase.*1 

It  is  obvious,  from  liis  correspondence,  that  ho  was  often  con 
sulted  by  clergymen  in  New  Jersey  with  regard  to  their  theological 
interests ;  and  tlio  following  letter  to  llcllumy  shows  how  impor 
tant  his  services  woro  regarded  by  some  friends  of  the  college  at 
Princeton : 

"Great  Harrington,  March  25,  17(17.  I  have  a  number  of  lettors  to  you 
from  Jersey,  which  woro  brought  by  Mr.  Timothy  Edwards,  [eldest  son  of  the 
['resident,]  last  wok.  I  don't  send  them  with  tnis,  because  I  have  no  direct 
and  Halo  opportunity,  and  because  I  expect  to  come  myself  and  seo  yon,  the 
second  Monday. in  April,  (if  Hod  will.)  1  hav*>  letters  from  Messrs.  Caldwcll, 
McWhorter,  Chapman,  and  Jonathan  Kid  wards;  importing  that  they,  with  a 
number  of  others,  are  now  in  high  /cul  about  a  professor  of  divinity  at  tho 

college  ;  that  Mr. is  not  chosen,  nor  generally  esteemed  fit  for  that 

pluco  ;  that  no  way  is  yet  provided  for  tho  3up|x>rt  of  one ;  that  if  they  don't 
get  one,  and  one  of  the  right  sort  too,  and  equal  to  the  business,  the  college 
will  die  a  natural  death;  that  some  of  tho  trustees  of  principal  influence  have 
been  consulted,  and  they  manifest  an  approbation  of  one  of  your  friends  in 
New  England,  from  what  they  have  heard  of  him,  and  encourage,  that  ho 
uhall  bo  undoubtedly  chosen,  if  a  support  for  him  can  be  provided  by  sub 
scription  ;  that  a  larger  subscription  can  bo  procured  for  him,  than  for  any 
other.  Therefore  they  have  sent  to  him,  to  know  if  he  will  accept,  if  chosen, 
and  to  desire  him  not  to  put  himself  under  any  engagements  inconsistent  with 
this,  till  they  can  make  a  fair  trial,  which  cannot  bo  completed  till  next  fall ; 
to  etVect  which,  they  now  intend  to  pull  every  string  and  turn  every  stone ; 
the  subscription  to  bo  but  for  five  or  seven  years  at  first,  concluding  that 
another  can  more  easily  bo  tilled  up,  if  needed,  when  that  term  expires,  than 
a  longer  one  can  be  procured  now.  They  want  to  know  whether  'tis  probable 
any  subscriptions  for  this  design  can  bo  procured  in  New  England,  especially 
at  Boston.  And  [they]  want  your  judgment,  advice,  and  assistance  in  tho 
alVair.  They  have  engaged  tho  messenger  to  treat  with  your  friend  more 

HI  a  mnn  of  his  habitual  tranquillity  nerd  come,  to  a  loss  of  hi<  pntieneo  with  these  men. 
One  of  the  most  im|>ottioin  urntfuroi  in  hii  contwpomlonro  in  tho  following:  "July  fl, 
I7.VI.  I  valno  i\  correspondence  n'ml  intercourse  with  you,  by  writing;  nml  con  vermilion, 
moro  than  over ;  us  1  Iwve  lately  had  an  uncomfortable  interview  with  three  neighbor 
ing,  senseless,  titnpid,  wilful,  ignorant,  blind,  illiterate,  thoughtless,  confident,  suspicion*. 
disdainful,  — —  (forgive  mo,  dear  i»ir;  I  have  n  great  nenno  of  it.)—  Ho  that  nays,  '  I 
tft,'  nnd  yet  is  blind,  hn*  no  sort  of  notion  about  teeing,  nnd  know*  not  what  it  moan*. 
How  groat  und  immovable  in  that  blindnet*  !  I  pray  (u>d  to  deliver  mo  from  lucli 
blindness  and  infatuation  !  I  had  need  to  look  to  myself,  for  I  am  charged  with  having 
no  thought*  of  my  own,  being  wholly  — — }  with  contradicting  myiolf  {  with  being  §o 
dark  and  confused  at  thnt  I  neither  know  myself,  nor  can  any  one  «l*e  know  what  I 
mean  or  aim  at,  ice.,  &c." 


66  MEMOIR. 

particularly  on  tho  affair,  than  they  could  write ;  have  [written]  you  on  the 
head,  I  suppose,  and  tried  to  engage  tho  messenger  to  go  to  you  on  hii 
return ;  but  lie  says  ho  can't  Edwards  writes,  tlmt  all  tho  officers  at  college 
aro  warmly  engaged  in  tho  affair,  &c.  They  aro  BO  sanguine,  as  to  think  the 
fall  of  tho  college  and  of  tho  religious  interest  of  all  those  provinces  turns 
upon  this  affair.  I  write  those  hint*,  that  your  thoughts  may  perhaps  be  inoro 
ripe  upon  the  head  when  I  shall  nee  you,  wliich  I  hope  will  bo  in  loss  than 
threo  \vceks  from  thin  time.  TTis  thought  that,  the  projxwed  coalescence 
(perhaps  it  might  be  more  properly  called  a  collision)  of  tho  Old  wide  and 
Now,  with  respect  to  tho  college,  must  and  will  take  place.  And  I  think,  if 
Dr.  Wit.herspoon  don't  como,  (and  Uio  Old  wide  will  hinder  it  if  they  can,) 

J)r.  will  bo  President,  and  that  this   is   what  they  an.1,  at  t/u//ow, 

driving  at,     Hut  thin  is  conjecture."  *• 

The  naino  of  the  individual  who  was  thus  proposed  for  tho  Pro 
fessorship  of  Divinity  nt  Princeton  itmy  be  easily  conjectured.  This 
proposal  casts  some  light  upon  the  statement  of  Dr.  Patten,  that  after 
President  Kdwards's  death  in  IT.'SH,  Mr.  Hopkins  was  named  by  some 
us  tho  successor  to  the  Presidency. 

"  But  before  tho  proposition  was  laid  before  the  llonrd  of  Trustees,  one  of 
tho  members  was  requested  to  visit  Mr.  IF.,  that  by  iicturtl  observation  ho 
might  form  na  opinion  of  his  qualifications  for  the  ollico  tmd  station.  Mr.  II. 
hud  not  the  least  apprehension  of  the  object  of  the  gentleman  in  making  him 
a  visit ;  but  received  him  with  great  courtesy,  and  entertained  him  with  liberal 
hospitality,  not  only  according  to  his  custom,  but  ns  be  considered  due  to  a 
gentleman  of  his  standing,  and  a  friend  of  Mr.  K.  This  gentleman,  on  his 
return,  reported  unfavorably  to  tlte  appointment,  and  assigned,  ns  a  reason,  tho 
country  style  in  which  Mr.  II.  lived,  and  the  correspondence  of  his  manners 
to  such  a  state."  f 

For  this  statement,  there  is  now,  perhaps,  no  other  authority  than 
tliul  of  Dr.  Patten;  yet  the  assertion  that  Hopkins  was  a  candidate 
for  tho  vacant  Presidency  may  seem  not  improbable,  from  the  fact 
that  some  of  the  most  active  men  in  founding  and  sustaining  the 
college  at  J\ow  Jersey  (as,  for  instance,  Hon.  W.  P.  Smith  mid 
Uev.  T.  Arthur,)  were  the  associates  of  Hopkins  at  Yale;  and  (iov- 
ernor  William  Livingston,  one  of  its  firm  friends,  was  bis  classmate. 
Tho  gentleman  first  appointed  to  succeed  Edwards  in  the  Presidency 
nt  Princeton  wiw  Uev.  James  Lockwood,  a  Connecticut  minister, 
whoso  tendencies  were  to  the  New  Divinity.  Hopkins  was  not 
formed  for  such  an  ollice ;  but  it  is  grateful  to  record  that  the 


•  A  Her  tho  l*rofe<!«orship  of  Divinity,  upoken  of  in  tho  text,  hiul  been  filled  by  (lie 
appointment  of  Kev.  John  lll.iir,  of  Fo^tf'a  Manor,  I'unu.tylvania,  Mr.  Hopkins  ronlimuMl 
lo  manifest  tlto  same  interest  in  it.  .  Thus,  tiller  having  visited  Itnston,  ho  write*  to  Dr. 
Ilolliimy  :  "  July  'U,  17(i7.  Mr.  Hluir  [Rev.  Samuel  II.,  pastor  of  Old  South  Church, 
niul  nephew  of  tho  nrwiy-nppoiuted  professor]  anil  others  ore  beyond  expectation 
friendly  und  rcftlous,  \vith  respect  to  tho  professorship.  Mr.  Hlair  tell*  mo  he  rnu  easily 
{Tel  thirty  pound*  Merlin;;;  JIT  annum  subscribed  in  Boston.  My  friend  Mr.  1*.  thinks 
you  onphl  to  (ro  to  Ne.w  York,  to  forward  Uio  matter  there."  Ai  early  us  April  5, 
1769,  them  it  a  record  that  Mr.  NVilliiun  Phillip.i  and  hi*  two  brothers,  of  lloston,  had 
imMrribed  three  hundred  pounds,  i.-r.,  a  thousand  dollars,  for  tho  college  at  Princeton. 

t  I'uttcn's  llcuiinisccnccs,  pp.  44,  -15. 


MEMOIR.  67 

objections  against  him  related  not  to  "the  substance  of  his  doctrine," 
but  to  the  stylo  of  his  address.    , 

Still,  iu  despite  of  his  inattention  to  the  outward  graces,  ho  be 
came  the  spiritual  advisor  of  multitudes  beyond  the  circle  of  his  own 
parish.  One  of  the  many  incidents  illustrating  the  deference  which 
was  paid  to  him  by  the  sex  which  is  ever  the  quickest  to  discern 
spirituality  of  character,  is  thus  related  by  Dr.  Patten: 

"Mr.  Hopkins  was  highly  esteemed  by  nmny  pious  persons,  [in  Boston.] 
Thoro  wan  a  female  praying-mooting  in  tho  pluco,  which  hiul  been  long  estab 
lished,  and  which  WIIH  in  high  roputo,  as  consisting  of  some  of  tho  most  intel 
ligent,  and  discreet,  and  pious  women  belonging  to  the  church.  Of  tins 
meeting  Mr.  II.  wan  ap(H>intcd  chaplain,  while  residing  at  Great  Barrington. 
Ity  this  oth'eo  it  was  expected  that  he  would  meet  with  them,  when  ho  camo 
to  Boston,  and  that  he  would  answer  by  letter,  when  at  home,  any  question 
they  might  transmit  to  him  on  the  doctrines  or  prophecies  of  Scripture,  on 
ctsos  of  conscience,  or  other  subjects  relating  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ  His 
answers,  as  one  who  belonged  to  the  society  informed  tho  writer,  were  very 
instructive  and  profitable."  * 


SHOT.  XIX.    MINISTRY  AT  (JHKAT  1UUKINGTON,  — ITS  TERMINATION 
AM)  UKSULTS. 

Amid  tho  ecclesiastical  commotions  which  followed  the  revivals 
under  Whiteficld,  amid  tho  ravages  of  Indian  warfare,  amid  the  dis 
tracting  influences  of  a  society  composed  of  Dutchmen  and  Puritans, 
in  a  new  settlement,  Mr.  Hopkins  found  no  more  trouble  than  he 
expected.  Any  prosaic,  straightforward,  doctrinal  preaclvcr  of  high 
Calvinism  would  have  met  similar  embarrassments. 

The  town  of  (Jreat  Harrington  flourished  somewhat  during  his 
pastorate.  In  17(51,  it  was  selected  ns  the  seat  of  justice  for  Berk 
shire  county,  and  had  become  the  residence  of  some  eminent  civil 
ians.  Notwithstanding  the  modest  confessions  of  Mr.  Hopkins, 
that  he  had  cHcctcd  no  good  in  his  parish,  (confessions  that  havo 
been  believed,  while  tho  modesty  of  them  has  been  unhonored,  for 
modesty  in  this  age  is  a  dangerous  virtue,)  he  "  admitted  to  his 
church,  during  his  ministry,  one  hundred  and  sixteen  members ; 
seventy-one  from  the  world,  forty-live  hy  recommendation  from  other 
churches."  t  This  was  not  n  useless  ministry.  It  is  often  said, 
however,  that  his  Hopkinsian  peculiarities  destroyed  his  influence  at 
(ireat  Harrington,  and  effected  his  dismissal  from  the  place.  His 
dismissal  was  occasioned  by  a  variety  of  causes;  some  of  which  would 
have  operated  in  like  manner  against  the  greater  part  of  orthodox 
teachers  at  the  present  day. 

•  Pntton'a  Remin'nerncos,  pp.  3<»,  57.  Thin  prayer-moetinp,  which  it  still  continued, 
was  originated  in  17H.  Ten  or  fifteen  year*  afterward,  tho  members  of  it  iijrnod  a 
written  covenant,  like  tlmt  of  the  Osborn  prayer-mccfing  at  Newport.  Thi»  was  prob 
ably  done  through  Hopkins'*  influence. 

t  History  of  the  Coualy  of  Ilcr'tshirc,  p.  5228. 


68  MEMOIR, 

In  tho  first  place,  a  large  proportion  of  his  owrt  friends  in  the 
parish  were  poor,  and  could  not  contribute  much  to  his  support. 

Secondly,  a  large  proportion  of  his  townsmen  were  parsimonious, 
and  would  not  contribute  what  they  could.  "A  number,"  ho  says,* 
«« turned  churchmen,  apparently,  and  Homo  of  them  professedly,  to 
get  rid  of  paying  any  tiling  for  tho  support  of  the  gospel." 

Thirdly,  some  of  Mr.  Hopkins'*  parishioners  were  dissatisfied 
with  the  terms  of  church  communion  which  he  enforced,  and  which 
are  now  so  commonly  sanctioned.  A  prominent  civilian  of  Stock- 
bridge,  who  had  there  opposed  Mr.  Edwards  on  tho  Half  Way  Cov 
enant,  removed  afterward  to  fJrcnt  Harrington,  and  transferred  his 
opposition  from  Mr.  Edwards  to  Mr.  Hopkins.  Many  unconverted 
parents,  particularly  among  the  Dutch,  insisted  on  having  their  chil 
dren  hapti/.ed  ;  and  when  the  number  of  unchrislened  children 
amounted  to  sixty  or  thereabouts,  an  Episcopal  clergyman  was  invited 
to  administer  tho  rite.  Here  we  see  another  occasion  of  tho  Epis 
copal  church,  which  was  formed  at  Groat  Harrington,  in  1700,  and 
which  materially  lessened  tho  resources  of  the  old  parish. 

Fourthly,  some  of  his  hearers  disliked  his  frank  and  honest  way 
of  unfolding  the  doctrines  of  Calvinism,  particularly  the  doctrine 
that  God  decrees  all  events,  sin  not  excepted. 

Mr.  Israel  Dowry  addressed  a  letter  to  his  pastor,  Mr.  Hopkins,  December 
11,  1757,  n ml  represented  him  an  having  preached  one  scrlnon  on  thn  text, 
14  The  Lord  reigneth,"  &o.,  nad  as  having  nsnortoil  "the  decrees,  the  eternal 
plim,  Had  that  nothing  could  possibly  happen  bat  what  was  rijjht  nad  oa^htto 
be  n-joiccd  in,  because  nil  was  exactly  as  (Sod  tcoulit  hare  it,  even  events  the 
most  vile  iiad  enormous.11  Mr.  Dowey  farther  represents  his  pastor,  Mr.  Hop 
kins,  ns  Imviag  preached  a  second  seraioa,  on  "  using  the  world,"  &c.,  and  aa 
having  declared  that  we  abase  tho  things  of  the  world  only  when  wo  use  them 
in  opposition  to  "tho,  interest,  end,  nnd  design  for  which  they  were  pivon." 
Here  Mr.  Dowey  aims  to  involve  his  pastor  in  a  dilemma,  and  says  :  "  If  God 
ordered  nad  appointed  all  tho  wickedness  that  comes  to  pnss  among  men  and 
devils,  then,  certainly,  it  mast  bo  allowed  that  tho  wickedness  of  man  in 
abasing  tho  world  coald  not  bo  contrary  to  tho  intention,  end,  and  design  of 
(Iod  the  (liver,  bat  exactly  agreeable  to  the  appointment  nnd  determination  of 
God."  Mr.  Hopkins  replied  to  this  letter,  February  '1,  1758;  to  which  reply 
Dowey  rejoias,  and  represents  Mr.  Hopkins  as  having  tatijjbt  that  (Iod  does, 
and  does  not,  hate  sin  infinitely;  and  that  if  lie  did  infinitely  hato  its  com 
mission,  he  would  be  tho  most  unhappy  of  all  beings.  Mr.  Dowey  infers  from 
his  pastor's  discourses,  that  "(Iod  and  the  devil  are  of  one  mind,  and  are 
united  in  carrying  on  that  work  which  God  hn.s  eternally  willed  and  planned 
out  for  him."  At  length,  ho  concludes  his  letter  by  tho  following  significant 
annunciation:  "And  now,  reverend  and  dear  sir,  I  would  just  observe  that 
tho  plain  and  manifest  design  of  the  Scriptures  is  to  declare  against  sin.  Nor 
can  it  bo  true,  tint  sin  should  be  contrary  to  God's  law,  nature,  and  will,  and 
at  tho  name  timo  bo  perfectly  agreeable  to  his  goodwill  and  pleasure,  and 
exactly  aw  ho  would  havo  it,  (as  you  aro  pleased  to  express  it.)  And  now, sir, 
as  you  stand  in  iho  relation  of  a  pastor  to  mo  and  mine,  and  rtlso  a  teacher,  I 
think  it  my  duty  nnd  intorent  to  oppose  you,  as. long  as  you  oppose  tho  truth. 

•  Skctchei,  p.  49. 


MB  MO  i  a.  69 

If  I  live,  and  you  don't  dismiss  your  principles,  you  may  rationally  expect  I 
shall  oppose  you  and  endeavor  your  dismission," 

Fourteen  years  after  this  correspondence,  President  Stiles  writes  in  hia 
Literary  Diary:  "Homo  persons  printed  Mr.  Hopkins's  letter  in  answer  to 
tho  first  of  Mr.  Dewey.  Thin  prompted  Mr.  Downy  to  print  both  his.  I  have 
not  seen  Mr.  Hopkins's  letters.  Ho  tolls  mo  ho  has  them  all,  and  says  Mr, 
Dewey,  on  a  sick  bed,  seemed  to  bo  sorry  for  his  loiter* ;  but,  recovering  to 
health,  returned  to  his  former  sentiments  again.  Ten  years  after  this  dispute, 
Mr.  Hopkins  asked  [his  dismissal],  and  was  dismissed.  I  consider  tho  foun 
dation  of  it  partly  laid  in  this  dispute  with  Dewey."  This  foundation  of  it, 
then,  WHS  laid  in  Calvinism,  and  not  in  Ilopkinsianism  na  a  distinct  and 
diflorent  system ;  for  Calvin  makes  a  hundred  assertions  like  these:  "Tho 
first  man  fell,  because,  the  Lord  determined  tJiat  he  should;"*  "I  confess 
that  all  the  children  of  Adam  liavo  fallen  by  the  will  of  God  into  this  miser 
able  condition  in  which  they  uro  involved ;  and  this  is  what  I  said  at  the  first, 
that  we  must  always  return  at.  length  to  the  mere  pleasure  of  tho  divine  will, 
tho  cau.se  of  which  is  hidden  in  himself."  f 

Fifthly,  in  addition  to  tin;  above-named  troubles  came  those  of 
politics.  The  irritability  of  feeling  which  preceded  the  revolution, 
\vas  ill  fitted  to  promote  tho  harmony  of  u  parish.  Mr.  Hopkins 
was  as  strong  in  his  Whig  principles,  ns  in  other  things.  As  early  as 
March  1H,  170(5,  ho  writes  to  Dr.  Jk'llamy : 

"  Wo  have  nothing  very  new  this  way.  Town  aflairs  engross  the  thoughts 
of  many.  The  buttle  is  to  como  on  next  Monday,  they  say.  If  tho  Tories 
get  the  victory,  which  they  are  zealous  to  do,  the  town  will  lie  in  ruins,  and  I 
must,  noon  leave  preaching  here,  it  is  probable.  I  look  on,  and  wait  the  event 
with  sumo  dogreo  of  calmness,  I  hope."  —  Tho  battle  came  on,  The  Tories 
triumphed.  IJut  the  town  meeting  wad  adjudged  to  be  illegal.  Tho  General 
Court  ordered  another  meeting  to  be  held  in  July.  Major  Hawley,  of  North 
ampton,  was  to  bej moderator.  "  But  the  Tories  are  determined  to  carry  tho 
day  even  then,"  writes  Hopkins,  "and  are  turning  every  stone,  and  my  friends 
are  ready  to  give  up  the  case  for  lost.  If  they  prevail,  it  seems  I  have  done 
hero.  '  The  Lord  reigns;  let  the  earth  rejoice.'" 

lie  writes  again,  July  k^(i,  17(kJ:  "  Last  week  we  had  a  town  meeting1,  which 
lasted  three  days.  Tho  spirits  of  each  party  were  raised  to  a  very  nigh  de 
gree.  In  the  issue,  the  Tories  carried  the  day,  and  have  got  all  town  affairs 
in  their  hands,  just  as  they  had  before;  with  this  aggravation,  that  now  they 
have  a  vastly  higher  degree  of  resentment  against  me  and  the  party  that  ad 
heres  to  me,  than  before.  They  say  they  will  withhold  a  great  part  of  my 
salary,  if  not  all ;  and  it  appears  that  they  intend  to  get  me  out  of  town. 
Query:  Since  my  salary  seems  to  bo  tho  great  bone  of  contention,  tho  strife 
nt.  bottom  being  about  money,  (Who  shall  have  the  government  of  the  money 
voted  for  preaching  ?  or,  in  one  word,  Whether  tho  Dutch,  &c.,  shall  pay 
any  part  ot  my  salary  ?)  had  I  not  better  give  my  salary  up,  and,  if  those  who 
adhere  to  me  will  not  maintain  me  by  subscription,  either  leave  them  or 
preach  /r/vr/i>?"  A  characteristic  proposal  from  this  advocate  of  disinter 
ested  benevolence. 

Sixthly,  many  of  his  parishioners  became  jealous  of  Mr.  Hopkins, 
and  imagined  that  he  was  desirous  of  leaving  them.  Their  sus 
picions  were  inflamed  by  tho  fact  that  he  had  been  invited  to  preach 

*  ••  Lapsus  cst  cuim  primus  homo,  quid  Dominus  ita  cxpcJiro  censucrat."  Inst.  Lib. 
iii.  cap.  xxiii.  §  tt. 

t   lust.  Lib.  iii.  cap.  xxiii.  $  4. 


70  MEMOIR. 

in  several  vacant  pulpits,  and  had  spent  several  weeks  preaching, 
with  much  acceptance,  in  17GO  and  1707,  at  Salem,  Massachusetts.* 
Tic  was  annoyed  by  this  jealousy ;  still  ho  assured  his  people,  that  ho 
hud  no  wish  to  forsake  them  if  they  would  give  him  an  honorable 
support,  (hy  which  he  meant  nliout  two  hundred  dollars  per  annum.) 
Having  no  wish  to  "drive  a  good  bargain,"  he  confessed  that  his  pe 
cuniary  interests  would  ho  better  if  he  continued  at  (Jreat  Harrington 
than  if  he  left  it ;  and  then  added,  in  his  frank  and  blunt  way,  that 
if  they  desired  him  to  preach,  they  must  be  more  punctual  in  their 
attendance  upon  his  ministrations.  So  many  of  them  lived  at  a  dis 
tance  from  the  mccting-hou.se,  were  unable  to  own  carriages,  and 
were  not  attracted  to  walk  far  over  rough  roads  for  the  sake  of 
hearing  his  monotonous  tones,  that  he  was  often  discouraged  by  hid 
meagre  auditories. 

Seventhly,  the  spirit  of  the  town  remained,  as  it  was  at  first,  ad 
verse  to  true  religion.  A  great  majority  of  the  pious  citi/cns  were 
his  warm  friends,  but  immorality  abounded.  In  1707,  he  requested 
the  church  to  refer  the  question  of  his  continuance  among  them  to  a 
council.  But  they  refused,  for  they  were  resolved  to  retain  him. 
They  adopted  various  expedients  to  raise  his  salary;  but  after  an 
eiVort  of  two  yearn,  they  despaired,  and  then  united  with  their  de 
spondent  pastor  in  the  summoning  of  u  council.  He  writes  to  his 
confidential  friend  Bellamy  : 

"  December  ',20,  17(>H-(.).  I  have  bntu  minute,  just  to  inform  fyou]  that  last 
evening  this  church  ngreoil  to  cull  u  council,  to  sit  hero  on  (.ho  third  Wednes 
day  of  January  next,  to  advise  whether  it  is  expedient  for  me  to  continue  here, 
as  circumstances  are,  or  be  dismissed.  Tlio  members  of  the  council  arc  to  be 
Dr.  Uellamy,  Messrs.  Hrinsmado,  Farrnnd,  West,  Collins,  and  the  messengers 
the  churches  shall  send  with  them.  Tlio  church  have  appeared  as  forward  to 
take  tins  step  as  myself,  and  have  led  the  way  in  advising  to  it ;  and  they  gen 
erally  have  higher  expectations  of  lay  dismission,  I  believe,  than  I  have, — 
wholly  grounded  in  ttunt  of  support.  And  now,  sir,  I  hope  you  will  bo  will 
ing  to  go  through  some  dilliculty  to  assist  your  friend  and  a  j>oor  people." 

On  the  day  appointed,  (January  IS,  17(50,)  the  council  met,  and 
advised,  in  a  style  very  laudatory  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  that  the  connection 
between  the  discouraged  pastor  and  the,  nfllieted  church  be  dis 
solved,  lie  had  been  the  minister  over  that  people  twenty-live  years 
and  twenty-one  days.  This  fact  attests  bis  perseverance  ;  for  even 
at  this  late  day,  not  one  of  his  successors  at  (Jrcnt  Harrington  has 

*  In  n  IrUrr  to  Dr.  llellamy,  dated  July  7,  17(1(5,  Mr.  Hopkim  write* :  "The  people 
[of  Salem]  urged  mo  to  stay  another  Sabbath,  and  tried  to  get  encouragernrnl  thai  I 
would  come  and  Nettle  there.  The  congregation  is  pretty  large,  and  they  say,  the  only 
one  in  (own  that  receives  and  will  benr  sound  doctrine  ;  that  'tis  of  the  greatest  impor 
tance  they  should  have  a  man  who  is  able  to  defend  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  &c.  ; 
nud  they  choose  to  settle,  no*  n  young  man,  but  one  whose  character  is  established  and 
known.  I  gave  them  no  encouragement."  He  did  not  believe  that  the  people  would 
endure  his  preaching  when  they  fully  under.stood  it.  "  Hesides,"  ho  adds,  "  baptism 
would  probably  be  an  insupeniblc  ditliculty.  —  Ureut  Harrington  soomi  to  be  the  plnco 
for  me.'' 


MEMOIR.  71 

remained  there  so  long.  Indeed,  there  was  no  pastor  over  that 
church  for  eighteen  years  after  Mr.  Hopkins  left  it.  His  departure 
Jet  in  evils,  which  his  presence  had  kept  out.  After  the  war  of  the 
revolution,  in  1787,  a  minister  was  stationed  there,  hut  he  remained 
only  three  years,  when  the  flock  was  again  left  without  u  shepherd 
for  sixteen  years.  In  1798,  President  Dwight  visited  the  place,  and 
remarked :  *  "It  is  probable  that  there  has  been  more  horse-racing 
in  these  two  towns  [Great  Harrington  and  Sheffield]  than  in  all  the 
State  of  Massachusetts  beside."  Twenty-five  years  after  his  dis 
mission,  Mr.  Hopkins  visited  Great  Harrington,  with  his  friend  Dr. 
Patten,  who  thus  describes  the  town  :  t 

u  The  people  were  without  a  minister,  nor  was  tl>erc  any  convenient  place 
in  which  to  assemble  for  public  worship.  Dr.  II.  inquired  if  his  former  moet- 
ing-houso  could  not  bo  fitted  for  the  purpose  for  one  Sabbath ;  but  it  WHS 
found  to  be  impracticable,  us  the  windows  were  broken,  the  door  had  fallen 
down,  and  the  floor  had  long  been  occupied  by  sheep,  who  resorted  to  it  from 
the  common  at  night,  and  in  storms.  It  was  further  said,  that  if  a  meeting 
should  bo -appointed  any  where  else,  there  would  be  but  little  interest  taken 
in  it;  but  few  would  attend.  It  was  common  for  those  who  regarded  the 
Sabbath  and  public  ordinances  to  go  to  other  towns  to  enjoy  them  ;  while 
others  devoted  tlie  day  to  visiting,  to  sitting  in  taverns,  to  horse-racing,  and 
other  amusements  ;  and  Mr.  Hopkins  supposed  they  expended  much  more  in 
these  ways,  and  the  consequent  dissipation  and  extravagance,  than  would  be 
necessary  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  ministry  among  them." 

In  his  seventy-fifth  year,  looking  back  iip<m  his  dismissal,  which 
occurred  in  his  forty-eighth  year,  this  tidvocate  for  disinterested  be 
nevolence  expresses  himself  thus  :  J 

"  I  then  had  a  wife  and  ei^ht  children,  and  owned  a  house  and  good  farm, 
and  could,  by  leaving  my  study  and  attending  to  my  farm,  have  supported 
myself  and  family,  and  continued  to  preach  to  those  who  would  come  to  hear 
me,  after  a  sort,  with  little  study.  Hut  I  then  thought,  and  it  was  the  judg 
ment  of  the  council,  and  of  the  church,  that  as  I  could  not  be  supported  there, 
so  as  to  be  uble  to  give  myself  wholly  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  pursue 
my  studies  \\  ithout  any  great  interruption  from  worldly  cares  and  labor,  it  was 
my  duty  to  leave;  them,  and  go  where  I  could  be  supported.  And  if  no  such 
place  presented,  I  could,  by  turning  my  attention  to  farming,  support  myself. 
Hut  since  I  have  seen  the  unhappy  consequences  to  that  people  of  my  leaving 
them,  many  of  which -might  probably  have  been  prevented  by  my  staying  with 
them,  though  I  had  studied  but  little,  and  -spent,  great  part  of  my  time  in  at 
tention  to  my  worldly  concerns,  I  have  sometimes  been  ready  to  call  in  ques 
tion  the  reasonableness  of  that  conclusion,  and  have  thought,  it  probable  we 
were  all  wrong  in  judging  as  we  did,  and  that  it  was  my  duty  to  stay  with 
that  people  in  those  circumstances.  It  is  certain  this  would  have  been  greatly 
to  my  worldly  advantage.  IJiit  I  then  thought  1  did  right,  and  took  the  most 
prudent  and  proper  steps,  in  taking  the  advice  of  a  council." 

Could  the  good  man  arise  from  his  grave,  and  look  out  upon 
the  beautiful  villages  and  the  enterprising  population  which  now  di»- 

*  Dwipht'i  Travrlt,  vol.  ii.  p.  379. 

*  Pullcn'i  Reminiscences,  pp.  65,  56. 
t  Sketches,  pp.  49,  50. 


72  MEMOIR. 

tinguish  that  romantic  town,  he  would  rejoice  that  lie  once  struggled 
there  nguinst  tho  obstacles  to  itu  civili/.ation,  and  prayed  there  for 
tlio  children  and  children's  children  of  the  pioneers  who  subdued  its 
wild  forests. 


BBCT.  XX.   DKI'TII  OF  MR.  HOPKINS'S  RELIGIOUS  FEELINGS  DURING 
AND  AFTKH  HIS  RKSIDKNCK  AT  UltKAT  HARRINGTON. 

In  his  thirty  -third  year,  December  26,  17511,  the  good  man  writes: 

"I  Imvo  lately  had  distressing  apprehensions  of  the.  badness  of  my  state, 
being  ready  to  conclude  that  such  a  sinner  ns  I  nin  cannot  j>ossibly  Iwvo  nny 
grace.  This  eveninp  my  spirit  labored  under  an  unnupjHirtnblo  load  of  sin, 
nnd  my  spirits  wore  drunk  tip  with  anguish.  As  noon  as  I  could,  I  shut  my 
self  up  in  my  study,  nnd  fell  upon  mv  Knees  before  (iod. 

"  And  first,  I  felt  tmd  told  (Iod  that  I  had  nowhere  else  to  go  hut  to  him, 
though  1  had  sinned  HO  greatly  against  him.  I  felt  and  expressed  the  extreme 
folly  of  forsaking  him,  —  that  it  was  beyond  all  conception.  I  reflected  on  the 
npgrnvntionH  of  my  sins,  and  saw  they  were  KO  vastly  multiplied  nnd  numerous, 
that  it  was  impossible  my  mind  should  ever  have  a  full  view  of  them,  or  bo 
:iblo  to  reckon  them ;  yea,  that  there  was  not  one  aggravation  but  what  ex 
ceeded  all  my  thoughts  and  conceptions.  I  thought  it  a  wonder  that  I  wns  not 
in  hell,  nnd  confessed  that  (iod  might  justly  send  me  there  immediately;  yea, 
he  mipht  justly  do  what  was  unspeakably  more  dreadful,  viy..,  continue  me  in 
the  world  till  I  had  filled  up  tho  dreadful  measure  of  my  iniquities,  and  be 
come  a  prent  nnd  remarkable  vessel  of  wrath,  fitted  for  that  destruction  for 
which  1  was  before  appointed,  that  1  mipht  sink  down  unspeakably  below  Jit- 
</<f.i,  nnd  bear  a  more  awful  weight  of  wrath  than  nny  other  who  should  go 
to  hell. 

"Under  these  shocking  apprehensions  of  the  weight  of  wrath  which  be 
longed  to  me,  it  came  into  my  mind  that  Christ  could  save  from  nil  this;  he 
could  deliver  from  such  n  weighty  wrath. 

44  Immediately  u|H>n  which,  my  soul  applied  to  him  for -help,  and  this  wns 
the  lanpuapo  of  my  heart:  'Lord  Jesus,  I  come,  I  come,  I  come  to  thce;  I 
come  tor  deliverance  from  this  distinguished  place  in  hell,  this  uncommon 
weight  of  wrath.'  I  thought  I  mipht  hope  in  him  for  deliverance,  though  oth 
ers  went  to  hell,  whose  sin*  were  unspeakably  less  than  mine;  and  the  truth 
contained  in  those  words,  '  I  will  hnvc  inrrn/  on  whom  I  trill  hart  ;>wrn/,' 
seemed  sweet  nnd  wonderful.  1  felt  confounded,  and  my  soul  was  tilled  with 
blushing  nnd  shame,  saying  from  my  heart,  4  Righteousness  bclongcth  unto 
thce,  I)  Ixird,  but  unto  me  tduune  and  confusion  of  face,  because  I  have 
sinned.'  In  the  conclusion  of  my  petitions,  when  I  mentioned  Christ  aa  tho 
pernon  in  whose  name  I  presented  myself  and  offering,  I  felt  that  lie  was  the 
only  Saviour,  nnd  ground  of  hope,  for  sinners.  Had  it  not  been  for  him,  the. 
least  sin  must  have  damned  infallibly;  nnd  it  seemed  wonderful,  even  that  the 
least  sinner,  and  especially  mich  a  sinner  ns  I  was,  nu'pht  have  hope.  When 
1  came  to  conclude  my  devotions  with  ascriptions  of  praise  to  (Jod,  my 
heart  dwelt  upon  this,  ami  I  louped  that  the  anpels  mipht  pmise  (Jod.  I  Haw 
that  (Jod  could  plorify  himself  by  saving  me,  but  the  tribute  of  praise  which  I 
could  offer  was  mean  nnd  inconsiderable.  I  wanted  to  lisp  out  his  praise  in 
nome  humble  place.  I  rose  from. my  knees,  lightened  and  comforted;  nil  na 
ture  put  on  A  more  pleoKunt  as|>ect,  and  those  words,  '  I  will  have  mercy  on 
whom  I  will  have  mercy,'  dwelt  on  my  heart  with  pleasure  nnd  delight." 

In  his  forty-eighth  ycnr,  a  fe\v  months  after  leaving  Great  Har 
rington,  he  writes : 


MEMOIR.  73 

"Monday,  Juno  12, 17GO.  Spent  Saturday  in  fasting  and  prayer;  had  a 
variety  of  exercises,  more  strong  than  common;  was  in  tears  great  part  of  tho 
day,  so  thut  I  was  obliged  to  shut  myself  up,  not  fit  to  bo  seen.  If  ever  I 
knew  what  it  was  to  cast  myself  upon  Christ,  I  did  so  now.  Sovereign  grace 
was  all  my  plea  anjl  all  my  hope.  I  had  unspeakable  pleasure  in  thinking 
that  in  me  there  was  a  proper  foundation  for  the  greatest  exercise  and  display 
of  sovereign  grace,  oven  in  my  infinite,  distinguished  guilt,  vilonoHs,  and  mis 
ery;  thin  afforded  opportunity  for  tho  oxorciso  of  divmo  power,  wisdom,  and 
goodness,  iu  ull  their  infinite  height  and  latitude  f,  that  in  m«,  there  was  a 
broad  bottom  for  the  trial  of  divine  grace,  on  which  it  may  have  full  Bcope,  as 
it  wore,  and  erect  the  greatest  monument  to  the  praise  of  tho  glory  of  God's 
grace  to  all  eternity!  My  HOU!  seemed  to  rejoice  and  exult  in  this,  more, 
unspeakably  more  than  in  my  own  salvation,  considered  as  separate  from  this. 
Yea,  tho  luttor  was  ns  nothing,  of  no  account,  and  not  wortn  asking  for,  in 
comparison  with  the  former,  or  aside,  from  thnt. 

u  My  exercises  were  uncommon  and  remarkable  in  one  respect,  viz.,  in  tho 
quick  succession  of  light  and  joy,  and  dejection  and  gloom.  1  was  sometimes 
lifted  up,  and  then  noon  cast  down,  and  my  exorcises,  as  it  were,  obliterated. 

"The  chief  things  I  proposed  to  seek  God  for  to-day,  were,  first,  his  direc 
tion  and  smiles,  with  regard  to  my  future  circumstances  and  usefulness  in  tho 
world;  with  respect  to  which  I  have  had  a  variety  of  exercises,  which  would 
fill  a  volume  were  they  all  recorded ;  secondly,  for  my  Christian  friends ; 
thirdly,  for  the  church  of  Christ,  &c. 

"'1  hn  morning,  awoke  with  the  words  of  Christ  in  rny  mind,  'He  that  hath 
my  commandments,  and  keepeth  them,  ho  it  is  that  lovcth  mo;  and  he  that 
loveth  me  din  It  be  loved  of  my  Father,  and  I  will  love  him  and  will  manifest 
myself  unto  him.'  I  Seemed  to  long  to  keep  Christ's  commandments,  and 
thought  the  great  one  was  to  lore  one  another.  This  led  me,  when  I  was  up, 
to  read  the  fourteenth,  fifteenth,  and  sixteenth  chapters  of  John.  And  O,  how 
full  of  sweet  instruction  tiro  thev!  There  in  an  additional,  inexpressible 
sweetness  in  the  Bible,  now,  winch  I  never  tasted  before. 

"Saturday  morning,  July  1.  Purpose  to  spend  this  day  in  .fasting  and 
prayer.  The  day  is  to  be,  spent  in  the  following  manner:  1.  In  attending  to 
my  sins,  mid  confessing  them  before  God;  '4.  In  praying  for  pardon  and  holi 
ness;  M.  That  God  would  make  the  path  of  duty  plain  before  me,  form  me  for 
his  service,  and  improve  me  in  it;  4.  In  seeking  mercies  for  my  wife  and 
children;  5.  1'raying  for  direction  and  assistance  while  with  this  people,  that 
some  good  nny  be  done  here;  C.  For  my  Christian  friends  and  kind  benefac 
tors  ;  7.  For  the  church  of  Christ  in  general,  and  for  the  world  of  mankind. — 
Close  tho  day  with  thanksgiving. 

"When  I  first  rose  this  morning,  rertd  tho  seventy-first  Psalm,  with  HOIUO 
exercises  of  heart  and  pleasure.  Many  passages  in  it  seemed  applicable  to 
my  circumstances,  and  I  thought  I  could  make  them  the  language  of  my  own 
heart.  The  imprecations  on  enemies  (verses  l!i,  121,)  I  could  apply  to  invisible 
enemies;  tho  devils,  and  wicked  men,  considered  as  enemies  to  me,  becauso 
enemies  to  Christ,  and  HO  far  as  they  aro  such,  they  may  bo  consumed  and 
destroyed.  This  is  conswtent  with  their  being  converted  and  saved. 

"'Their  feet  are  swill  to  shed  blood,  but  how  to  do  good  they  know  not.' 
This  is  the  very  character  that  I  have  been  of,  all  my  days.  All  sin  of  omis 
sion  or  commission  is  shedding  blood  ;  it  is  misdiict,  it  is  murder.  In  all  my 
connections,  I  have  been  constantly  guilty  of  omitting  something  which  I  ought 
to  have  done  for  their  good,  or  doing  something  which  tendon  to  their  hurt. 
I  havo  uu's.sQtl  ten  thousand  opportunities  to  do  good,  and  have- not  seen  them 
till  they  were  past,  through  the  stupidity  and  wickedness  of  my  heart.  If  I 
have  ever  desired  to  do  any  good,  it  has  been  the  effect  of  sovereign  grace. 

"I  have  been  longing  to  get  rid  of  sin.  The  thought  of  living  n.s  I  have  id 
dreadful.  In  this  sense,  I  groan,  being  burdened! 

"July  5.  I  have  had  a  sweet  hour  between  nine  and  ten.  Surely,  if  tho 
highest  enjoyments  on  earth  were  all  laid  at  my  feet,  to  have  them  to  all  cter- 

ff 


74  MEMOIR. 

nity  without  God,  I  would  not  give  this  hour'*  enjoyment  for  thorn  all.  Yen, 
I  would  despise  them.  '  It  is  pood  for  mo  to  draw  near  to  God.1  How  swift 
and  how  sweetly  do  ideaa  pass  the  mind,  when  it  is  in  any  measure  in  a  right 
frame !  It  is  impossible  to  express  all  tho  thoughts  and  ideas  which  havo 
passed  my  mind  in  tins  hour  on  my  knees  before  God.  ^  There  is  none  on 
earth  that  I  desire  btaidt/t  thcr?  were  words  to  which  my  soul  did  echo,  and 
which  I  could  ospouso  with  all  my  heart.  Jlcsidca  f/tff,  that  in,  aside  from 
thce,  or  without  thce,  and  not  in  union  witli  tljee.  I  concluded  with  a  solemn 
and  I  hope-  hcnrty  dedication  of  myself  to  God,  believing  that  ho  could,  and 
in  a  degree  of  confidence  that  he  would,  do  more  than  I  am  able  to  auk,  or 
conceive?. 

"July  (i.  Hose  early  this  morning,  and  O,  astonishing  that  I  may  say  it! 
have  hud  a  gracious  and  most  sweet  visit  from  God.  When  I  first  attempted 
to  bow  before  (Jod,  I  felt  myself,  all  at  onc.o,  in  the  presence  of  the  all-seeing, 
infinitely  wine,  good,  and  every  way  most  excellent  and  glorious  God,  who  is 
wonderful  in  counsel,  and  excellent  in  working.  My  soul  adored,  and  loved, 
and  rejoiced  in  him.  My  soul  was  drawn  out  in  strong  and  sweet  exercises 
of  love  and  praiso,  in  a  view  of  what  God  is  in  himself,  and  as  mil  infested  in 
his  works.  Sly  soul  would  praise  God,  let  him  do  what  he  would  with  me.  I 
paid,  I  will  praise  theo  as  long  as  I  live,  and  bless  thy  name  while  1  have  a 
being.  (),  how  did  my  heart  rejoice  and  exult  that  there  is  such  n  Cod! 
Words  cannot  utter  it,  nor  can  1  write  a  thousandth  part  of  my  exercises.  It 
appeared  something  wonderfully  great,  and  inexpressibly  desirable,  to  be  tho 
instrument  of  bringing  but  one  soul  to  the  knowledge  ot  this  glorious  God  — 
of  turning  men  from  darkness  to  this  marvellous  light. 

"This  morning  I  have  been  led  to  view  and  address  God,  considered  in  his 
absolute,  divinu  perfection,  and  address  him  in  and  through  Christ,  more  than 
is  common  for  me.  I  generally,  when  I  have  the  greatest  freedom  at  the 
tlmmo  of  grace,  speak  directly  to  Christ,  as  if  he  was,  iu  a  sense,  the  only 
object  of  worship,  being  God,  and  having  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth;  but 
now  it  was  otherwise. 

"I  have  sometimes  been  troubled  about  this  matter,  and  feared  I  had  no 
right  ideas  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  of  (Jod  and  Christ,  as  I  seemed  not  to 
know  how  to  conceive  of  then!,  and  address  them  in  my  devotions.  And  [1] 
have  been  hence  led  to  ask,  that  I  might  know  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ,  whom  he  hath  sent;  might  have  ideas  and  conceptions  of  the  glorious 
God  and  Saviour,  agreeable  and  answerable  to  the  revelation  he  has  made  of 
himself.  I  have  been  more  satisfied  about  it  this  morning.  I  now  believe 
that  Christians  may  have  different  views  with  respect  to  this,  and  yet  nil  bo 
right.  Sometimes  their  minds  may  be  fixed  on  Christ,  in  whom  dwells  all  tho 
fulness  of  the  Godhead,  and  he  may  be  more  immediately  the  object  of  their 
adoration  and  worship,  addressing  him  more  directly,  in  which  he  is  consid 
ered  as  set  up  by  the  Father,  and  invested  with  all  authority,  and  no  compre 
hending  fill  tlittl  7.1  railed  (Sod.  At  other  times,  they  may  hitvo  their  minds 
more  ('specially  fixed  on  the  divine  perfections,  more  absolutely  considered, 
yet  not  exclusively  of  Christ  the  Mediator,  and  so  more  directly  address  God 
over  all,  blessed  forever,  as  exercising  mercy  through  a  Mediator.  And  1 
believe  different  Christians  may,  in  a  stated  way,  diller  in  this  respect  in  their 
view  and  addresses,  and  HO  be  naturally  led  to  talk  of  their  exercises  in  a  little 
different  language;  some  speaking  more  of  God,  others  more  of  Christ.  Our 
ideas  are  very  scant  at  best,  and  we  see  but  by  parts  and  ill  a  very  partial 
manner.  Hence,  when  we  view  God  in  one  attitude,  if  I  may  so  express  it, 
his  other  relations  and  attitudes  are  more  out  of  sight,  and  less  attended  to. 
Yet  when  all  our  ideas  and  views  are  compared  together,  they  are  perfectly 
uniform  and  consistent,  however  various  and  different  they  may  be. 

"Three  o'clock.  Have  had  a  sweet  time  in  a  walk  in  the  wt>ods  [in  Tops- 
har.i,  Maine],  Had  more  hopo  and  confidence  before  God  that  I  should  dwell 
with  him  forever  in  his  kingdom,  than  I  ever  had  before.  Christ  appeared 
great  and  glorious  in  roducining  hia  people  from  all  iniquity,  and  even  in 


MEMOIR.  75 

redeeming  one  such  soul  as  mine.  I  said, « I  will  praiae  thee  forever ; '  but  this 
tribute  appeared  nothing.  Then  I  said,  *  Let  an  the  angels  prawie  thee  for 
thy  wonderful  works  to  me.'  But  this  also  appeared  to  be  little,  which  led 
me  to  say,  •  Glorify  thyself.* 

"Saturday,  September  30.  Have  boon  reading  the  twenty-fifth  Psalm, 
with  application  to  myself.  Have  particularly  attended  to  the  seventh  verse, 
where  the  Psalmist  desires  that  God  would  give  what  he  asks  for,  for  his 
goodness*  sake,  that  is,  for  the  sake  of  the  display  of  his  goodness,  as  there 
must  be  a  great  and  wonderful  exercise  and  display  of  it  in  allowing  mercy  to 
him  who  was  so  sinful,  unworthy,  and  ill-deserving.  This  has  been  often  my 
only  refuge  and  ple.a.  God  shows  mercy,  for  his  goodness*  sake.  This  is  a 
reason,  then,  why  ho  should  show  mercy  to  me;  for  his  own  goodness  cannot 
bo  more,  displayed  and  honored  than  in  his  hoinjr  good  to  .-mi1.  Blessed  bo 
God  for  this  plea.  I  can  now  say,  '  Pardon  mine  iniquity,  for  it  i,t  great? 

"  November  10.  Had  a  pleasant  season  this  morning,  soon  after  I  rose.  It 
began  with  desires  after  the  Holy  Spirit  I  saw  this  was  all  I  wanted,  all  I 
could  asl;  for,  and  pleaded  the  promise,  'Ask,  and  ye  shall  receive.'  These 
words  of  Christ  were  on  my  mind,  'He  that  fonrnkHh  house,  or  lands,'  &c., 
&.c.  I  thought  I  had  a  heart  to  do  this,  and  blessed  Christ  thut  he  had  given 
such  a  henrt,  as  the  greatest  possible  gift,  infinitely  greater  than  to  havo  the 
whole  world  bestowed  on  me,  I  know  I  ought  to  be  willing  to  sutler  and  die 
in  tin?  cause  of  truth.  ()  that  Christ  would  give  me  such  a  heart! 

"January  (I,  1770.  I  have  been  walking  in  a  ropowalk  [at  Newport,  Rhode 
Island]  by  myself.  There  I  dedicated  myself  to  Jesus  Christ,  with  strength 
of  heart  and  with  unspeakable  joy.  I  felt  it  to  be  an  amazing  privilege  that  I 
might  bu  devoted  to  him,  and  that  ho  would  accept  such  an  offering.  I  felt 
that  I  was  under  infinite  obligations  to  this,  and  that  the  obligation  is  every 
way  unbounded,  and  that  there  is  a  peculiar  happiness  in  being  thus  obliged 
to  him. 

"  I  have  promised  that,  by  his  grace,  I  never  will  recall  this  dedication  of 
myself  to  him,  praying  him  to  subdue,  every  thing  in  my  heart  that  opposes 
this  consecration,  anil  that  he  would  cause  it  to  rise  higher  and  higher  con 
tinually. 

"  Saturday,  near  sunset,  January  1JJ.  Have  had  some  sense  of  God's 
mercies  to-day,  and  some  disposition  to  praiso  him  for  his  wonderful  goodness. 
I  have  had  a  degree  of  confidence  that  I  am  devoted  to  God.  I  cast  myself, 
and  all  my  concerns,  the  concerns  of  the  church  and  the  world,  on  him,  with 
some  degree  of  sensible  resignation  and  cheerfulness.  Have  had  more  strong 
desires  than  ever  for  the  good  of  the  congregation  I  am  preaching  to,  and 
have  been  enabled  to  plead  for  it  with  God.  My  mouth  has  been  filled  with 
arguments,  and  [I]  havo  had  strong  desires  to  be  the  instrument  of  building 
of  it  up. 

"  Monday  morning,  four  o'clock.  Have  been  worried  about  my  preaching 
yesterday.  I  believe  it  was  the  truth,  but  perhaps  I  had  better  not  havo 
preached  it  then ;  but  I  suspect  the  devil  has  a  hand  in  my  uneasiness  and 
perplexity.  O  that  Christ  would  deliver  me  from  this  roaring  lion,  and 
bailie  and  confound  him!  I  know  he  will,  and  that  however  imprudent  I  am, 
and  whatever  advantage  the  devil  gets  by  it  at  present,  it  shall  all  turn  against 
him  at  last,  and  he  shall  be  most  effectually  disappointed  and  confounded. 
This  is  some  comfort  to  mel  I  think  ;  but  it  is  unspeakably  dreadful  to  me,  to 
think  of  giving  hint  advaiitago  by  my  imprudence  and  sin.  ()  Ixird,  in  thy 
righteousness  deliver  mo  fjrom  this  subtle,  powerful,  cruel,  unjust,  injurious 
foe!  He  has  no  right  to  seek  my  ruin  or  the  ruin  of  others.  So  far  as  I  am 
against  him  and  desire  to  opjKwo  him,  and  nincerely  cry  to  thee  for  deliverance, 
and  his  overthrow,  I  am  in  a  righteous  cmuic.  (),  deliver  me  in  thy  righteous 
ness.  Let  him  be  blasted  forever. 

"Saturday  evening,  February  10.  Have  had  freedom  in  thought  and 
prayer.  Havo  been  enabled  to  cast  all  my  cares  and  burdens  on  God,  as  an 
infinitely  full  fountain,  and  the  portion  which  my  eoul  desires.  I  havo  some- 


76  MEMOIR. 

times  seemed  to  have  nothing  to  pray  for ;  every  thing  is  ngnt,  and  just  as  I 
should  desire  to  have  it  be,  So  long  as  Christ  reigns  and  has  every  thing  in 
his  hands,  I  eecm  to  have  nothing  to  do  but  praise. 

"  It  Bcotns  to  mo  I  have  some  nigher  sense  of  what  is  meant  by  living  by 
faith  on  the  Son  of  God,  than  I  used  to  have.  It  is  to  make  Christ  ALL,  to 
seek  him  for  every  thing,  and  live  entirely  on  his  expense  and  charges,  having 
nothing  of  our  own  but  cinptincsn  and  poverty." 


SKCT.  XXI.    SECOND  CANDIDATKSIIIP. 

We  arc  now  to  turn  over  n  new  leaf  in  the  history  of  Mr.  Hop 
kins.  One  half  of  his  ministerial  life  has  passed  nway  ;  tho  more 
eventful  half  is  yet  to  come.  When  dismissed  from  (jreat  Harring 
ton,  he  doubted  whether  he  should  ever  again  become  the  pastor  of 
a  church.  He  was  engaged  in  writing  a  work  for  the  press;  and, 
spending  the  week  at  home,  was  accustomed  to  ride  twelve  miles 
every  Saturday,  to  North  Canaan,  and  after  preaching  there  on  tho 
Sabbath,  return  home  on  Monday  morning.  In  the  Ensuing  April 
and  May,  (17(J!),)  he  preached  several  Shbbaths  at  the  Old  South 
meeting-house,  in  Hostou.  Many  of  the  most  earnest  Christians  in 
that  church  desired  that  ho  should  be  installed  over  it  *  as  a  eol- 
league  with  the  venerable  Dr.  Sewall ;  but  the  more  popular  mem 
bers  of  the  congregation  frowned  on  the  movement  and  checked  it. 
He  was  then  invited  to  Topsham,  Maine,  where  he  preached  to  a 
Prc*ljytcriaij  society, -from  tho  early  part  of  June  to  the  early  part 
of  ,1/uly.  He  was  strongly  urged  to  remain  there,  and  assured  that 
he  jvrtiltl  .receive  a  unanimous  call.  From  Topsham,  he  was  in 
vited  to  IN[cwport,  Rhode  Island.  He  arrived  at  that  town,  July  21, 
ITCH),  and  preached  his  first  sermon  there,  July  2tt.  Having  been 
heard  five  Sabbaths,  he  received  a  call  to  settle  over  the  First  COM- 
"relational  Church  and  Society  in  that  town.  Seven  members  of 

•' 

the  church  voted  in  his  favor,  three  voted  against  him,  and  two 
voted  neither  way.  He  took  the  call  into  consideration,  returned 
home,  and  after  several  weeks  went  back  to  Newport  with  a  pur- 
|M)se  to  comply  with  the  desires  of  the  church.  He  had  become 
strongly  attached  to  its  members.  15ut  a  change  had  come  over  the 
people.  A  sarcastic  pamphlet  had  been  circulated  against  him,  and 
a  committee  of  the  church  now  requested  him  to  withhold  his  an 
swer  to  their  call,  to  continue  his  ministerial  labors  among  them,  and 
wait  in  hope  that  the  prejudices  excited  by  the  pamphlet  might  sul>- 
side.  lie  yielded  to  the  wish  of  his  friends,  and  as  the  tlay  for  the 
decisive  vote  drew  near,  he  makes  the  following  records : 

"  Saturday,  March  tt,  1770.  I  think  I  have  given  up  every  point  but  this, 
vi/.,  that  tho  path  of  duty  may  be  made  plain.  If  I  have  a  call  to  leave  Now- 

*  Ho  luitl  IHTII  xmm>v\lmt  iniimuio  with  K«v.  Mr.  Cimuuin^,  u  former  pustnr  of  ll)0 
Oil  Siuih,  iiiid  uilli  M>mi'  wt'iililiy  individuals  in  the  church. 


MEMOIR.  77 

pott,  and  shall  see  it  to  be  so,  I  think  I  can  cheerfully  go  forth,  not  knowing 
whither  I  am  to  go.  And  I  have  a  pleasing  hope  and  confidence  that  the  way 
will  be  made  plain.  Why  should  I  not  trust  in  that  God  for  this,  who  has 
hitherto  led  me  in  a  plain  path,  especially  ever  since  I  have  had  a  heart  to 
seek  this  in  a  more  particular  manner,  making  it  my  great  petition,  not  caring 
wo  much  what  God  called  mo  to,  if  his  call  might  be  made  clear  and  plain  ? 

14  God's  goodness  has  been  increasing  upon  me  continually,  and  I  will  hope 
in  him,  for  I  shall  yet  praise  him.  I  will  now  praise  him  for  all  his  wonderful 
goodness  to  mo,  which  is  indeed  beyond  all  account.  God  has  forgiven  me 
from  my  youth  unto  this  day,  and  why  may  I  not  trust  in  him  now  ?  By  his 
grace  1  will ;  on  him  I  cast  myself;  on  him  I  rely  for  pardoning  and  uphold 
ing  mercy. 

"Lords  Day  evening,  March '4.  Had  some  uncommon  exercises  this 
morning.  I  longed  to  be  improved  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  that  Christ 
would  bo  with  mo  and  make  mo  a  blessing.  I  offered  myself,  desiring  that 
ho  would  send  mo,  since  he  had  HO  much  work  to  do  in  the  world,  and  since 
he  must  employ  unworthy,  guilty  sinners.  I  offered  myself  as  such  an  one; 
ami  since  ho  glorified  himself  in  improving  such,  the  more  unworthy  and  vile, 
the  more  ho  would  bo  glorified.  I  therefore-  mado  this  an  argument  that  I 
might  bo  improved,  as  I  was  the  most  guilty  and  vilo  that  could  bo  found. 

"March  7.  Feel  calm,  resigned,  and  in  some  degree  thankful.  O,  what 
consolation  is  it  that  God  reigns,  and  will  take  the  best  care  of  his  own  honor 
and  interest !  And  what  an  infinite  mercy  that  I  may  hope  and  be  confident 
that  //iur  God  is  my  God  and  Redeemer ! " 

On  Monday,  March  12,  tlic  congregation  met ;  and  after  having 
heard  him  nearly  eight  months,  decided  by  a  vote  of  thirty-six  to 
thirty-three  that  they  did  not  wish  his  services  as- their  pastor.  His 
opposcrs  had  circulated  a  paper  for  signatures  against  him,  and  by 
dint  of  personal  address  had  secured  a  majority  against  his  settle 
ment.  His  friends  were  surprised  and  grieved. 

"When  this  vote  was  communicated  to  him,"  says  Dr.  Patten,*  "ho  in 
quired  if  the  society  had  any  supply  engaged  for  the  pulpit,  tho  following 
Sabbath.  On  their  answering, '  No,'  he  further  inquired,  as  lie  could  not  reach 
home  that  week,  whether  the  prejudices  of  the  people  were  such  that  they 
would  not  1)0  willing  to  hoar  him  preach.  They  replied,  '  O  no;  there  is  no 
such  prejudice  against  you  as  that;  they  will  be  pleased  to  hear  you.'  Tho 
writer  lias  seen,  in  manuscript,  the  sermon  delivered  in  tho  afternoon  on  that 
occasion.  It  was  appropriate  as  a  valedictory  discourse.  It  was  expressive 
of  no  irritation;  it  manifested  by  implication  no  desire  to  have  tho  call  re 
newed.  It  appeared  to  bo  bis  great  solicitude  to  guard  tho  people  from  preju 
dice  agaiast  tno  truth,  and,  in  this  li^ht,  against  him  as  a  minister  of  the 
truth.  lie  said  that  ho  '  held  no  doctrines,  tno  substance  of  which  he  had  not 
preached  to  them  before  they  gave  him  a  call ;  that  it  was  his  object,  by  study 
of  tho  Scriptures  and  by  prayer,  to  ascertain  the  truth,  and  thus  to  preach  no 
doctrine  to  which  any  one  could  object  without  objecting  to  the  word  of 
God.'" 

He  preached  this  sermon,  March  18,  and  at  the  same  time  com 
municated  to  the  church  his  letter  declining  tho  call  which  he  had 
received  from  them  on  tho  2Ist  of  tho  preceding  August.  Ho 
then  expected  to  return  home  during  that  very  week,  and  to  » live 
a  private  life  on  his  farm." 

•  Ilcminiirenrei,  pp.  filMJl. 


78  MEMOIR. 

"  But,*  ho  says,*  "  the  congregation  appeared  attentive  and  solemn,  [during 
my  farewell  discourse,]  and  numbers  were  observed  to  weep.  The  next 
morning,  [March  1!),]  it  was  reported,  where  I  lodged,  that  there  appeared  to 
be  a  revolution  in  Uio  congregation ;  that  several  of  the  leaders  in  the  oppo 
sition  to  mo  appeared  to  repent  of  what  they  had  done,  and  said  that  their 
consciences  accused  them  so  severely  of  their  wickedness  in  what  they  Imd 
done,  that  they  had  little  or  no  sleep  during  the  night,  and  wore  now  deter 
mined  to  do  all  they  could  to  prevent  my  leaving  thorn.  And,  accordingly, 
they  went  to  those  whom  they  had  influenced  to  subscribe  against  .my  stay 
ing,  to  persuade  them  to  retract.  And  that  evening,  two  or  throe  of  those 
who  hud  boon  at  the  head  of  the  opposition  to  mo  camo  to  me,  and  confessed 
they  had  opposed  my  settling  in  the  congregation,  and  influenced  as  many  as 
they  could  against  me.  But  now  [they]  were  convinced  they  had  done 
wrong,  and  had  taken  pains  to  undo  what  they  had  done,  aud  persuade  those 
whom  they  had  influenced  to  appear  against  my  settling  among  them,  to  alter 
thoir  sentiments  and  conduct ;  that  they  now  sincerely  desired  that  I  would 
stay  and  he  thoir  minister,  &c.  And  I  was  at  the  same  time  Informed  that  a 
number  of  the  congregation,  who  had  been  in  a  great  degree  indifferent  with 
regard  to  my  staying  or  going  away,  now  appeared  to  bo  aroused  and  engaged 
in  favor  of  my  staying,  and  said  they  would  do  all  in  their  power  to  prevert 
my  leaving  them.  The  next  day,  the,  committee  of  the  congregation  applied 
to  me,  and  said  that  it  appeared  that  those  who  had  been  in  opposition  to  mv 
settlement,  among  them  had  retracted,  and  were  now  desirous  that  I  would 
stay  with  them;  at  least,  this  was  true  of  the  most  of  them.  And  they  be 
lieved,  if  tho  church  and  congregation  were  now  to  meet,  they  would  bo 
unanimous,  or  nearly  so,  in  renewing  their  former  invitation  to  mo  to  settle  with 
them  in  the  ministry.  They  therefore  desired  mo  to  stay  till  tho  church  and 
congregation  could  bo  called  together,  and  renew  their  call,  if  they  should 
appear,  when  mot,  disposed  to  do  it.  I  consented  to  this,  and  in  the  begin 
ning  of  tho  next  week,  [March  !^(5,  1770,]  tho  church  and  congregation  met, 
and  renewed  their  invitation  to  mo  to  settle  in  the  ministry  with  them.  In 
this  they  were  almost  unanimous;  but  two  or  throe  of  the  congregation  dis 
sented,  who  had  little  or  no  influence  in  tho  congregation.  And  two  or  three 
of  the  church  choso  to  bo  neuters,  and  vote  neither  for  nor  against  it." 

Tin's  is  but  one  of  many  instances  in  which  tliero  seems  to  have 
been  H  real  eloquence  in  the  homely  words  of  Mr.  Hopkins.  On  the 
following  day,  ho  writes  in  his  Journal : 

"March  lf>.  This  day  I  had  news  brought  me  that  three  men,  who  had 
been  most  steady  in  opposing  mo,  declared  last  evening  that  they  were  sorry 
they  had  opposed  me,  and  they  were  now  desirous  that  I  would  stay  and  set- 
tlo  with  them.  .  They  were  brought  to  this  by  my  farewell  sermon.  It  is  said 
this  sermon  has  hud  greater  effect  than  all  my  preaching  before.  Some  who 
have  thought  it  not  best  for  me  to  stay,  now  appear  y.ealous  for  my  staying. 
This  is  all  wonderful.  I  desire  to  stand  still  and  see  tho  hand,  the  salvation 
of  (iod!  How  greatly  are  my  obligations  increased  to  trust  in  God,  to  live 
to  him,  and  follow  him  in  tho  dark!  What  matter  for  praise  and  gratitude! 

41  March  121.  My  mind  has  boon  full  of. comfort  and  joy  this  morning. 
Have  had  unspeakably  sweet  exercises,  more  than  can  bo  mentioned.  The 
success  of  my  preaching  last  Sabbath  is  an  instance  of  (Jod's  goodness,  be 
yond  any  thing  of  the  kind  I  ever  experienced  before^  The  walls  of  Jericho 
are  fallen  down  by  tho  blowing  of  nuns'  horns. 

"  Friday,  March  23.  Tho  amazing  instance  of  last  Sabbath  dwells  on  my 
mind,  though  I  fear  it  will  not  bo  improved  by  mo  as  it  ought.  When  tho 
walls  of  Jericho  fell  flat  before  the  people  of  Israel,  an  accursed  thing  was 

*  Autobiography,  pp.  72-71. 


MEMOIR.  79 

soon  found  in  the  camp.  All  was  not  dedicated  to  tho  Lord,  and  he  was  dis 
pleased.  How  justly  displeased  may  he  bo,  if  this  remarkable  interposition 
of  Divine  Providence  should  not  bo  all  consecrated  to  his  praise  and  honor! 
O  Lord,  keep  me  back  from  coveting  any  thing  of  the  spoils  of  this  victory 
to  myself,  to  bo  improved  in  the  gratification  of  my  pride  and  worldliness. 
This  I  nin  in  the  utmost  danger  of,  and  shall  do  worse  than  Achan  did,  unless 
the  Ix>rd  hold  me  back.  O,  may  all  be  consecrated  to  thy  glory." 

Speaking  of  liis  installation,  ho  says,  after  the  lapse  of  a  quarter 
of  n  century  :* 

"This  event  appeared  to  give  satisfaction  to  all.  And  it  was  a  time  of  pe 
culiar  gratitude  and  ioy  to  my  Christian  friends,  of  whom  there  was  a  consid 
erable  number  who  had  steadily  adhered  to  me  from  my  first  acquaintance 
with  thorn.  And  their  pious  affections,  gratitude,  and  joy  were  greatly 
heightened,  by  the  dark  and  trying  scene  which  preceded,  in  my  being  appar 
ently  rejected  by  the  congregation,  and  consequently  determined  to  leavo 
them;  and  the  remarkable  manner  in  which  a  revolution  took  place  in  favor 
of  my  staying,  in  which  the  hand  of  (jod  was  so  conspicuous.  And  it  was  a 
peculiar  satisfaction  to  me,  that  (Jod  had  in  such  a  manner  opened  the  way 
for  my  settling  here,  and  made  tho  way  of  duty  so  plain,  and  that  such  a  num 
ber  of  very  dear  and  excellent  Christian  friends  were  hereby  HO  greatly  grat 
ified.  And  I  considered  myself  to  be  under  new  and  greater  obligations  to 
devote  myself  to  the  service  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  faithfulness  to  him  and 
•  the  church  and  congregation  to  whom  I  now  stood  related  as  their  pastor  and 
minister.  And  now  with  shame  I  retlect  upon  my  great  deficiency.  I  said  I 
would  be  wise,  but  it  has  been  far  from  me !  O  Lord,  enter  not  into  judgment 
with  in",  for  I  cannot  stand,  or  answer.  I  fly  to  pardoning  mercy,  through  the 
atonement  of  Christ,  as  my  only  refuge;." 


Siicr.  XXII.    CONNECTION  OF  Mil.  IIOl'KINS  WITH  1)11.  KX11A  STILES, 
HIS  CLERICAL  NKIG1I1J011  AT  NliWl'OllT. 

Hoth  of  the  above-named  gentlemen  exhibited  the  most  interest 
ing  traits  »f  their  character  in  their  intercourse  with  each  other. 
President  Stiles  had  been  pastor  of  the  Second  Congregational 
Church  in  Newport  nearly  fifteen  years  when  Mr.  Hopkins  was  in 
stalled  over  the  First;  and  be  remained  more  than  six  years  a  co- 
lab,irer  with  that  self-denying  divine.  He  was  a  man  of  extensive 
learning f  and  of  a  transparent  honesty •  He  was  a  moderate  Cal- 
vinist,  and  would  not  hesitate  to  express  bis  disapprobation  of  any 
man,  who  •*  was  so  very  Orthodox  as  to  be  a  little  inclined  to  tho 
New  Divinity."  His  church  bad  not  been  separated  from  the  First 
on  account  of  doctrinal  differences,  but  still  was  less  strict  and 
severe  than  the  First,  both  in  its  theology  and  its  religious  life.  It 
contained  more  of  the  aristocratic  and  less  of  the  Puritan  element. 
It  was  more  noted  for  general  intelligence,  but  less  for  theological 
information.  President  Stiles  was  not  at  all  in  favor  of  Mr.  Hop- 
kitis's  settlement  over  the  First  Church.  In  his  Literary  Diary  he 

*  Sketches,  pp.  71,  75. 

f  "This  country  liaa  not,  pcrhnp*,  produced  a  tnoro  learned  man." — Dr.  VV.  E. 
Clmnning,  Work*,  vol.  iv.  p.  340. 


80  MEMOIR, 

gives  a  less  favorable,  and,  we  have  reason  to  believe,  a  less  accu 
rate  account  than  that  which  all  other  writers  have  given,  of  the 
changes  effected  hy  the  "Farewell  Sermon."  He  says  that  »«  no 
alteration  was  made  in  more  than  seven  men "  by  that  sermon. 
"  Mrs.  Osborn  and  the  sorority  of  her  meeting  are  violently  engaged, 
and  had  great  influence.  They  and  the  two  deacons,  and  two 
thirds  of  [the]  church  were  warmly  engaged  for  Mr.  Hopkins." 

It  is  interesting  to  read  that  Dr.  Stilus's  church  had  some  queries 
with  regard  to  the  propriety  of  installing  Samuel  Hopkins  as  a 
minister  of  the  gospel !  There  has  certainly  been  solne  progress 
within  the  last  seventy  years  !  Dr.  Stiles  writes  in  his  Church 
Records : 

"  It  having  boon  suggested  as  Mr.  Ilopluns's  opinion,  that  it  wrts  not  the  duty 
of  tho  imrogonoratc  to  use  the  means  of  grace,  their  guilt  being  increased, 
the  more  light  they  resisted,  under  even  the  highest  convictions,  the  church 
insisted,  and  unanimously  charged  us  in  council,  to  know  from  Mr.  Hopkins 
whether  lie  held  that  it  wits  a  sin  for  the  unrogenerate  to  use  tho  means  of 
grace.  And  in  case  it  was  his  principle,  they  desired  tho  pastor  not  to  pro 
ceed  nor  assist  in  his  instalment.  Aecortlinglv,  when  the  council  met,  this 
was  agitated;  and,  after  some  discourse,  Mr.  Ilopkins  declared,  before  the 
council,  'Unit  it  wan  the  duty  of  the  anrogonorato  to  pray  to  (iod,  to  rend  the 
Scriptures,  attend  public  worship,  and,  in  general,  to  use  nil  the  means  of 
grace.'  Thin  was  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  council,  Mr.  Ilopkins  being  of 
good  moral  character." 

Dr.  Stiles  was  the  scribe  of  the  council,  and  thus  describes  the 
manner  of  the  instalment : x^ 

"  Repairing  to  the  meeting-bonne  about  eleven  [o'clock,]  A.  MM  [April  11, 
1770,]  whore  was  a  large  assembly,  Mr.  Campbell  opened  the  solemnity  with 
prayer;  then  I  preached  from  John  xviii.  JJ :  *  This  is  life  eternal,'  &e.  Then 
I  read  the  result  publicly,  with  the  votes  of  the  church  and  of  tjie  congrega 
tion.  Then  I  turned  to  the  brethren,  of  tho  church,  (who  nat  together  in  a 
body  bv  themselves,)  and  put  it  to  vote,  whether  they  now  continued  to  call, 
iVc."  'i'bcn  I  turned  to  Mr.  Hopkins  for  his  answer  ot%  acceptance  ;  which  be 
ing  done,  1  retired  from  the  desk,  and  Mr.  Kllin  ascended  it  and  prayed ;  and 
•liter  prayer,  he  turned  to  Mr.  Hopkins,  the  pastor  elect,  and  addressed  him 
with  a.  charge,  which  was  done  without  imposition  of  hands,  (as  lie  had  been 
once  ordained,)  so  that  the  design  of  this  was  only  to  give  him  the  pastoral 
charge  of  this  llock.  Then  Mr.  [Levi]  Mart  gave  him  the  right  hand  of  fellow- 
shin,  and  made  the  concluding  prayer.  Then  Mr.  Hopkins  gave  the  Psalm, 
it nd  dismissed  the  assembly  \vjth  a  blessing." 

At  the  time  of  Hopkins's  installation,  Dr.  Stiles  was  at  the  height 
of  his  intimacy  with  the  Jewish  Rahhics  and  other  literati,  at  New 
port.  This  is  very  obvious  in  his  installation  discourse.  Its  theme 
was,  "  Saving  Knowledge."  It  abounds  with  Latin  and  Clreek  sen 
tences  from  the  fathers,  with  biblical  quotations  also,  in  the  original 
Hebrew,  to  some  of  which  arc  appended  Latin  translations;  with  ref 
erences  to  Seldcn,  Croijus,  Ln  (Merc,  Hnsmige,  Monis,  Simeon  ben 
Johnny,  /cno,  Plato,  Parrnenides,  etc.  He  seemed  to  think  it  fit 
ting,  that  the  sermon  at  Hopkins's  installation  should  have  a  mnrked 


MEMOIR*  81 

character.  The  following  arc  a  few  of  his  sentences  on  the  ••  Trin 
ity  in  Unity,"  and  they  must  have  caused  n  peculiar  expression  of 
countenance  in  the  pastor  elect ; 

41  To  adduco  a  few  passages.  ^  iBniah  xli.  4,  Jlni  JchovaJi  rashon  vat  aclui- 
rointn'ini  Inu  Here  is  acliaronim  plural  predicated  of  /,  oneness,  repeated 
unity  —  /  am  he  —  and  yet  this  /  am  he  is  the  first  and  last  Gods,  or  plurali 
ties.  Again,  Jeremiah  xxiii.  0(1;  Joshua  xxiv.  It);  Inni:ih  xxxvii.  1(5;  Jere- 
inii'h  x,  10;  as  also  Deuteronomy  iv.  M5;  52  Samuel  vii.  2(1;  Amos  iiu  1,'J ; 
llosea  xii.  f>;  Malaehi  i.  i>,  —  im  adonim  HHI,  (ai  Domini  tgo,}  If  I  am  your 
Jjonfs.  Deuteronomy  xi.  <1,  Jehovah  ehhinu  Jvhavnh  altuud,  (Jehovah  di!  nos- 
//•/  Jihnvah  u/i».v);  Jehovah  our  Cods  is  the  oiu'  Jehovah^  or,  1'hcrt  ix  but  ont 
frlf-cfisknl  liciiiff.  I  think  every -one,  who  understands  these  passages  in  the 
original,  must  see  PLURALITY  IN  U.NITV;  that  in  Jehovah  there  are  /J/o/c'm, 
do'lf} ;  ai\d  yet  that,  they  all  make  lie  singular  or  unity;  for  Moses  expressly 
asserts  Jehovah  is  a  most  absolute  unity,  —  a  unity  to  which  no  other  unity 
bears  any  resemblance ;  agreeable  to  Rabbi  Moses  ben  Mnimon  and  the 
Tgdal,  ahaud  vain  jacJi!<!  kajichnilo,  (units  nic,  nnitns  similis  iinitatl.8U(f,\ 
Now  this  plurality  m  tho  divine  essence  is  the  only  tiling  (under  a  numeral 
idea)  which  distinguishes,  it  iVon:  other  unities.  All  unities  are  alike,  except 
licit  of  (tod.  Kabbi  Akiba,  ix.  Mishna,  says,  Chajlm  Eloh'un  ruach  ahaut, 
(anus  cjit  spirilus  Dcontin  v\ventiwn).n  * 

In  one  of  his  learned  notes  to  this  discourse,  p.  18,  Dr.  Stiles 
recommends  to  young  clergymen  the  study  of  the  Platonic  writers 
and  of  the  Rabbinical  literature.  So  dillerent  was  he  in  his  mental 
texture  from  his  new  co-laborer,  t  His  friendships,  too,  were  by  no 
means  the  samo  with  the  friendships  of  his  u  new-divinity  colleague." 
lie  was. intimate  with  Dr.  DiVna,  of  New  Haven,  Dr.  Clmuney,  of 
lioston,  and  Kev.  William  Hart,  the  author  of  the  pamphlet  which 
delayed  Mr. .  Ilopkins's  settlement  at  Newport.  Can  we  wonder, 
then,  that  he  recoiled  from  being  shut  up  on  an  island  with  the 
ablest  living  champion  of  the  Kdwardean  theology?  —  Still,  both 
Dr.  Stiles  and  his  new  neighbor  were  sensible  men,  and  did  not 
press  their  speculative  differences  into  social  life.  It  has  been  said 
by  Dr.  ( 'banning,  f  that  they  "held  no  ministerial  intercourse"  with 
each  other.  'This  were  sad,  if  true.  Uut  President  Stiles  writes  iti 
his  Church  Records,  that  he  exchanged  with  Mr.  Hopkins  on  the 
Sabbath  preceding  the  installation  of  the  latter.  He  afterwards 
alludes  to  frequent  instances  of  the  like  fellowship.  After  he  be 
came  President,  of  Yah1  College,  be  went  to  Newport  often,  find,  in 
his  Literary  Diary,  tints  notices  his  visits: 

"October  1,  1780.  Attended  and  heard  Mr.  Hopkins  in  the  Sabbatarian 
meeting-house,  who  administered  the,  sacrament  to  about  thirty  communicants, 
when  I  partook.  —  IVM.  I  preached  [from]  Horn.  xii.  iJ,  my  congregation 

*   Iixf.  Sermon,  pp.  1.1,  1  t. 

f  Still,  our  imMaplivMnil  <!ivino  rniifflit  some  H««!>rniHlio  inspiration  from  Dr.  Stiles; 
for  MI  Irs*  tliiin  threii  month*  niter  this  "  imtnlinent  xcrinon,"  Hopkins  write*  to  Hel 
ium  v  '•  "  Mv  (Yirmii  in  Hoston  nre  reixlv  liberally  to  contrititttu  fur  the  ttnpport  of  a  xtn- 
d-'itt  of  ][,'l»-<'w,  if  n  proper  person  cotiltj  l>o  found." 

J  Woiks,  vol.  iv.  p.  300. 


82  MEMOIR. 

attending."  [The  two  congregations  worshipped  together  for  a  time  after  the 
revolutionary  army  left  Newport.] 

"  September  2!),  1782.  Lord's  Day,  at  Newport.  Preached  all  day  to  my 
dour  flock  in  the  Sabbatarian  meeting-house.  I  notified  a  sacramental  'lec 
ture  nt  Mr.  Hopkins's  m  CO  ting-house,  he  expecting  to  be  absent,  and  proposing 
and  desiring  that  tho  two  churches  should  unite  in  communion  together." 

•;  October  JJ.    I  preached  a  sacramental  lecture." 

"October  (>.  I  preached  all  day  at  Mr.  Hopkins's  meeting,  and  admin 
istered  the  sacrament  to  botli  churches,  united  on  the  occasion,  and  for 
tlie  first  time,"  [i.  e.  tho  churches,  although  worshipping  together,  had  not 
previously  communed  together.] 

In  his  Memoir  of  Stiles,  Dr.  Holmes  writes  :  *  "  Dr.  Hopkins  held  a  stated 
evening  lecturo  every  week,  which  Dr.  Stilen  usually  attended.  On  one  of 
these  occasions,  having  read  his  text,  he  was  taken  with  a  bleeding  at  tho 
IK  we,  and  sut  down.  The  "blood  not  stopping,  he  requested  Dr.  Stiles  to 
pre-ich.  Furnished  to  all  good  works,  ho  took  the  same  text  and  preached 
extemporaneously." 

It  is  interesting  to  notice  the  regularity  with  which  Dr.  Stiles  records  from 
week  to  week  his  attendance  upon  the  1  hurwday  lecturo  of  Hopkins,  and  the 
gratification  which  IK;  expresses,  now  and  then,  at  tho  "many  lino  and  judi 
cious  observations"  whicn  the  lecturer  made. 

When  lie  lost  his  wife,  he  wrote,  May  IK),  1775:  "I  desired  Mr.  Hopkins 
to  make  a  prayer  at  my  house,  before  the  corpse  was  carried  out,"  and  "  Mr. 
Hopkins  walked  as  a  mourner"  to  the  grave.  "When  I  settled  in  the  ministry 

at  Newport,"  ho  says,t  "  Mr.  ,  tho  Congregational  minister  of  the 

other  church,  was  suspicious  and  cold  toward  rue.  I  disarmed  him  by  silence 
and  benevolence.  When  his  ministry  was  ended,  I  hoped  for  a  successor  in 
whom  1  might  be  happy  as  a  cordial  brother.  There  was  a  prospect  of  this 

in  an  ingenious  young  man,  Mr.  A .  But  the  church  finally  settled  Mr. 

[Hopkins],  of  some  sentiments  very  different  from  mine,  while  we  agreed  well 
in  the  general  system  of  orthodoxy.  As  the  providence  of  (Sod  had  brought 
us  into  a  connection,  I  determined  to  learn  and  get  all  the  good  I  could  from 
him,  treat  him  with  respect  and  benevolence,  and  endeavor,  as  fur  as  wo  were 
agreed,  to  cooperate  with  him  in  building  up  the  Redeemer's  kingdom.  And 
wo  lived  together  in  peace  and  love." 

There  were  many  particulars,  indeed,  in  which  these  two  divines 
felt  a  cordial  union.  They  were  both  decided  patriots,  and  both 
contended,  shoulder  to  .shoulder,  against  the  Tory  influence  which 
made  many  of  the  Hbodc  Island  clergy  adverse  to  the  revolution. | 
They  were  both  thorough-going  Coiigregatioimlists,  and  bad  saga 
city  enough  to  fear,  and  manliness  enough  to  oppose,  the  growth  of 
the,  Anglican  church  among  the  descendants  of  those  who  bad  fled 
from  it  to  our  shores.  Above  all,  these  two  men  were  benevolent 
Christians,  and  as  such  they  went  before  their  age  in  pushing  for 
ward  various  schemes  of  philanthropy. 

It  deserves  to  be  remembered,  in  proof  of  Dr.  Ilopkins's  Cathol 
icism  of  temper,  that  not  only  during  the  six  years  of  bis  connec- 


*  Dr.  Holmes'*  T-ifc  of  President  Stiles  p.  U)5. 

t  II..  pp.  273,  271. 

t  Dr.  Stiles  pivcs  n  praphic  account  of  the  spinning  matches,  or  "  voluntary  bees," 
which  were  held  at  his  house,  and  also  nt  tho  house  of  Mr.  Hopkinn,  in  1770  and  1771. 
"  Nine.ly-;wo  Piujpfhters  of  Liberty  spun  and  reeled,  respiting  and  assisting  one 
another,"  etc.,  etc. 


MEMOIR.  83 

lion  with  Dr.  Stiles,  but  also  during  the  thirty-throe  years  of  his 
pastorate  at  Newport,  he  lived  in  uniform  friendship  with  the  minis 
ter  of  the  Second  Church,  nnd  the  relations  between  thnt  church 
and  his  own  were  le.ss  hostile  than  they  hud  been  before  his  installa 
tion,  or  than  they  were  for  n  quarter  of  a  century  after  his  death. 
Notwithstanding  all  his  controversies,  he  was  a  "  lover  of  peace." 


SECT.  XXIII.    EARLY  PROSPECTS  AND  SUCCESS  AT  NEWPORT. 

To  go  from  the  hilly  region  of  Berkshire  to  the  ocean  scenery  of 
Rhode  Island,  was  n  great  change.  Greater  still  was  the  transition 
from  the  society  of  Massachusetts  yeomen,  to  that  of  the  nautical 
and  mercantile  community  at  Newport.  In  his  forty-ninth  year,  and 
with  the  habits  of  rural  life,  Mr.  Hopkins  was  not  well  fitted  for  such 
an  alteration  of  his  social  intercourse.  When  he  was  installed  at 
Newport,  the  town  was  larger  than  it  is  now,  and  far  more  enter 
prising.  It  was  the  second  town  of  New  England  in  commercial 
importance.  Although  the  census  taken  in  177-1  gave  the  place  only 
9201)  inhabitants,  yet  the  place  is  supposed  to  have  actually  con 
tained  about  11,000;*  more  than  twice  as  many  as  Providence  at 
that  time.  Newport  1ms  now  only  9."><>3  inhabitants,!  less  than  one 
fourth  as  many  as  Providence.  In  177U,  New  York  hud  but  ~1,K7(> 
inhabitants,  being  only  about  twice  as  large  as  Newport,  and  having 
in  many  departments  a  much  less  extensive  foreign  trade.  The  mer 
chants  of  what  is  now  the  commercial  emporium  then  sent  often  to 
Newport  for  their  foreign  goods,  as  Newport  sends  now  to  that  empo 
rium.  A  mercantile  house  in  London  is  said  to  have  directed  a 
letter  to  "  New  York,  near  Newport."  The  town  was  noted,  not 
only  for  the  charms  of  its  natural  scenery,  but  also  for  the  beauty 
of  its  private  residences,  for  its  fashionable  and  luxurious,  as  well  as 
its  intelligent  and  enterprising  society,  its  culture  of  the  fine  arts,  its 
scientific  clubs,  its  refinement  of  taste  and  manners.  Hence  it  was 
the  favorite  resort  of  learned  men.  The  painters  Stuart  and  Malhone 
were  natives  of  the  town ;  it  was  the  favorite  residence  of  Bishop 
Berkeley,  and  its  medical  practitioners  were  famed  throughout  the 
land.  Not  even  in  Virginia  did  there  prevail  a  much  more  elegant 
hospitality,  a  much  more  sumptuous  and  baronial  style  of  living,  than 
among  a  class  of  the  Narraganset  planters.  Dr.  MeSparran,  a  cele 
brated  Episcopal  clergyman  in  Newport,  said,  in  1752,  that  "neither 
Kpiphanius's  nor  Sir  Richard  Blaekmore's  catalogues  contain  more 
heterodox  and  different  opinions  in  religion  than  are  to  be  found  in 

*  Ross's.  Discourse,  embracing;  the  Civil  oncl  Religious  History  of  Rhode  Islam), 
pp.  67,  fiO. 

t  Still,  it  has  nt  present  eighteen  churches  —  ono  for  every  five  hundred  and  thirty 
inhabitants  j  whereas,  in  1770,  it  had  only  ten  churches. 


84  MEMOIR. 

this  little  corner."  *  When  Mr.  Hopkins  went  there,  he  found  two 
vigorous  Baptist  churches,  each  more  than  n  century  old.  Three 
hundred  Jew?,'  mnny  of  them  eminent  for  wealth  nnd  commercial 
skill,  added  interest  to  the  town.  Both  Jewish  and  Sabbatarian 
worship  hnd  been  maintained  there  for  about  a  hundred  years.  A 
large  number  of  Moravians,  a  still  larger  number  of  Quakers,  diver 
sified  the  social  habits  of  the  people.  President  Stiles  loved  to  walk 
over -the  Parade  with  the  Jewish  llahhics,  learning  from  them  the 
mysteries  of  tho  Cabala;  but  was  this  a  place  for  Samuel  Hopkins? 
lie  could  not  harmoni/o  with  the  Dutch  farmers  ;  what  will  he  do 
with  the  French  fashions  ?  He  was  too  severe  for  the  moderate 
Calvinists  of  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts;  will  he  liot  be  a  foreign 
element  among  the  formalists  and  dilettanti  of  Newport  ? 

Still  he  found  here  many  attractions.  ITc  felt  more  religious  lib 
erty  in  Rhode  Island  than  he  could  feel  elsewhere,  and  religious 
liberty  he  loved.  He  had  access  to  the  rich  library  of  Dr.  Stiles, 
and  to  the  still  more  extensive  Hedwood  Library,t  which  was  then, 
as  now,  a  treasure  to  the  town.  But,  above  all,  —  for  this  he  valued 
more  than  all,  —  he  "  found  here  a  number  who  appeared  to  be  ex 
cellent  Christians,  and  the  best  regulated  church  that  he  had  seen."  J 

To  the  care  of  this  church  he  addressed  himself  with  fresh  y.eal. 
He  says,  in  condensed  language  : 

"I  preached  a  lecture  every  Thursday  evening,  which  wns  well  attended. 
I  invited  tho  young  people  to  meet  at  my  house,  the  nudes  on  one  week  and 
the  femaleM  on  the  next;  and  HO  to  continue  to  meet,  every  week  alternately, 
to  have  questions  proposed  to  them,  which  they  were  to  answer,  &,c.  Above 
forty  young  men  subscribed  to  an  engagement  to  attend  those  meetings  ;  and 
more  than  seventy  young  women.  After  those  meetings  were  attended  a 
considerable  time,  I  proposed  that  instead  of  these,  which  began  to  decline,  I 
would  attend  a  lecture  every  Sabbath  evening  at  six  o'clock  in  the  moeting- 
house,  in  which  I  would  explain  to  the  young  people1  the  Shorter  Catechism, 
composed  by  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster;  the  young  people 
to  sit  by  themselves  in  the  body  of  the  meeting-house  below,  and  elder 
people,  who  were  disposed  to  come,  to  sit  in  the  gallery  and  the  pews  round 
the  sidfH  of  tho  house  below.  Thrse  lectures  were  crowded  ;  the  congregation 
being  larger  then  thnn  at  the  meetings  in  the  former  part  of  the  day,  .as  num 
bers  attended  them  from  other  congregations  in  town.  And  tho  young  people 
appeared  attentive,  gave :  constant  attendance,  and  behaved  decently.  —  When 
I  had  gone  through  the  Catechism  in  this  way,  I  undertook  to  give  a  histonj 
of  the  JHblt'i  iu  a  course  of  lectures,  endeavoring  to  join  entertainment  with 
instruction,  and  religious,  profitable  reflections,  particularly  applicable  to 
young  persons.  These  lectures  were  continued,  and  well  attended,  till  they 
were  broken  up  by  the  war  between  Britain  and  America,"  § 

In  the  year  1771,  he  admitted  fifteen  members  into  his  church; 

*  See  America  Dissected,  iVc.,  in  Sundry  Kellers  from  n  Clergyman  iherc.  Updike's 
History  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Nnrnifjnnset,  pp.  •W;l-x'>,'V>. 

f  Ho  wns  made  on  honorary  member  of  ilie  Redwood  Library  Company,  in  1770. 
His  own  church  ulso  possessed  n  valuable  collection  of  books. 

t  Sketches,  p.. (19. 

$  Ib.  pp.  75;  7f>.     He  csinblished  his  Thursday  evening  lecture  July  6,  1770. 


MEMOIR.  85 

in  1772,  four  members;  in  1774,  three;  in  1775,  five;  and,  during 
his  whole  ministry,  fifty-nine  members,  of  whom  six  were  received 
by  letter.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  thirty  others  were  expecting  to 
be  soon  nddcd  to  his  church.  He  catechised,  weekly,  more  thnn  u 
hundred  children.  Before  he  became  pastor  of  the  church,  it  had 
been  numerically  declining.*  Its  more  pious  members  considered 
its  existence  as  dependent  upon  his  connection  with  it.  His  cor 
respondence  and  church  records  evince  that  a  new  impulse  was  given 
to  it  during  the  first  six  years  of  his  pastorate ;  new  rules  of  eccle 
siastical  order  and  a  new  creed  were  formed ;  new  arrangements 
were  made  for  tho  care  of  the  poor,  for  the  music  of  the  sanctuary, 
etc.  This  WHS  evidently  the  sunniest  period  of  his  ministerial  life. 
In  a  h.-ttor  to  Dr.  Bellamy,  dated  January  8,  1771,  he  says  : 

"  My  lecture  is  well  nttendcd  yot,  and  there  are  some  instanced  of  awaken 
ing  among  us.  Several  hope  they  hnvo  been  converted  lately,  in  my  coti- 
gregation.  So  far  as  I  can  judge,  my  congregation  in  general  are  more  and 

more  pleased.     Hut  many  of  the are  more  and  rnoro 

alarmed,  as  Rome  doctrines  which  I  preach  are  destructive  of  the  religion  most 
in  vogue  among  them.  While  you  on?  all  in  quarrels,  in  Connecticut,  und 
Hopkinloniann  are  cursed  with  bell,  book,  and  candle,  Divine  Providence  has 
led  me  out  of  the  noise,  and  provided  a  quiet  retreat,  where  all  is  peace,  and 
I  receive  more  kindness  from  the  hands  of  my  friends  in  one  year  than  I 
ever  received  in  my  life  before." 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1770,  we  find  him  at  the  ordination  of 
Mr.  Snnford,  at  Medwny,  and,  on  the  21st  of  that  same  month, 
at  the  ordination  of  Mr.  Kinmons,  at  Franklin  —  two  young  men 
over  whom  he  was  destined  to  exert  a  long-continued  power.  We 
often  catch  glimpses  of  him  walking  with  his  guests,  Dr.  Bellamy 
and  Dr.  West,  to  dine  with  President  Stiles;  or  else  calling  on 
President  Stiles's  guests,  Mr.  Whittlesey  and  Dr.  Dana,  of  New 
Haven.  Still,  even  at  this  most  comfortable  and  most  flattering 
period  of  his  ministry,  we  find  him  faithful  as  ever  in  purifying  the 
house;  of  Clod.  He  sought  not  his  own  ease,  lie  might  have  re 
tained  a  pleasant  degree  of  popularity,  if  he  had  aimed  to  please 
men.  But  he  was  artless  as  a  child.  In  a  little  more  than  two 
months  after  lie -was  installed,  he  became  engaged  in  a  process  of 
discipline  with  a  member  of  his  church.  The  entire  process  con 
tinued  until  December  5,  1774.  It  resulted  in  the  exclusion  of  the 
delinquent  member  from  the  Lord's  table.  But  that  member  was  I'rim- 
self  a  clergyman,  and  enlisted  other  ministers  in  his  favor.  II'.  in 
sisted  that  his  own  conduct  and  that  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  of  promi 
nent  individuals  in  the  church,  should  be  reviewed  by  a  council.  The 
council  unanimously  decided  that  the  offending  clergyman  ought  to 
have  been  excluded  from  fellowship,  and  that  he  had  proved  nothing 

*  May  31,  1770,  liis  congregation  consisted  of  n  hundred  and  thirty -five  families;  his 
church,  of  seventy  members,  and  of  these,  less  than  twenty  were  males. 
h 


86  MEMOIR. 

"  in  any  measure  "  injurious  to  the  "  ministerial  or  Christian  charac 
ter  "  of  Mr.  Hopkins.  It  is  easy  to  see,  however,  that  suclj  unflinching 
perseverance,  and  such  rigid  faithfulness,  as  were  manifested  in  this 
disciplinary  process,  were  fitted  to  exalt  the  moral  feelings  of  a 
church,  rather  than  to  make  its  pastor  a  favorite  with  the  world. 
Me  cxjwsed  himself  to  the  charge  of  severity  in  his  treatment  of 
offending  brethren,  and  particularly  in  requiring  of  them  a  public 
confession  of  their  sin.  It  must  he  confessed  that  he  abhorred 
iniquity,  and  expressed  his  abhorrence  with  decision,  and  thus,  even 
if  he  hud  been  identified  with  no  peculiarities  of  doctrine,  would 
have  given  offence.  15ut  his  severity  came  from  his  benevolence. 
"  My  desire,"  he  says,  during  the  tedious  process  of  {his  discipline, 
"  my  desire  of  usefulness  to  this  congregation  is  so  great,  that  I  am 
willing  to  sacrifice  every  personal  and  family  interest  to  this.  In 
tl^is  cause  I  think  I  am  willing  to  give  my  life,  and  every  thing  dear 
-to  me  in  this  world." 


SECT.   XXIV.    VISIT  FROM   MR.  WH1TEFIELD. 

It  is  pleasant  to  open  the  curtains  of  the  past,  and  look  upon  our 
Newport  minister,  as,  four  months  after  his  installation,  he  was  en 
joying  a  visit  from  Mr.  Whitefield.  Hopkins  had  listened  with*  de 
light  to  Whilelield  thirty  years  before,  at  New  Haven;  mid  on  the 
3d  of  August,  1770,  welcomed  him  as  a  guest  at  the  old  Newport 
parsonage.  At  five  o'clock,  on  the  afternoon  of  August  4,  White- 
field  u  preached  to  u  .very  crowded  audience  at  Mr.  Hopkins'*  meet 
ing-house,"  from  l*s.  li.  11  :  "Take  not  thy  Holy  Spirit  from  me." 
A  young  Jewess  heard  him,  »  and  greatly  admired  his  preaching  the 
gospel  of  Christ."  On  the  next  morning,  the  Sabbath,  he  preached 
for  Dr.  Stiles,  from  Job  xxii.  21  :  "  Acquaint  'now  thyself  with  him, 
and  be  at  peace."  At  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  he  preached 
from  1  Cor.  iii.  11,  in  the  fields  adjoining  Mr.  Hopkins's  meeting 
house,  to  a  thousand  or  fifteen  hundred  hearers.  While  preaching, 
he  stood  on  a  table,  which  is  still  reverently  preserved.  On  the  7th 
of  August,  he  preached  at  live  o'clock,  1*.  M.,  from  /.ech.  ix.  12,  at 
Mr.  Thurston's  Baptist  meeting-house,  to  an  audience  of  thirteen  hun 
dred  within  the  walls,  and  four  or  five  hundred  without.  After  preach 
ing,  he  dined  at  Major  Otis's,  with  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  Mr.  Thurston, 
and  Dr.  Stiles.  At  six  o'clock  on  the  next  morning,  he  preached,  from 
Gen.  i.  2,  to  eleven  hundred  hearers,  in  Mr.  Hopkins's  meeting-house. 
After  service,  he  dined  with  Messrs.  Hopkins,  Thurston,  Stiles,  and 
Rusmeyer,  the  Moravian  pastor  in  Newport,  at  the  house  of  Mr 
John  Wanton,  a  Quaker.*  In  the  afternoon,  he  left  for  Providence, 
and  before  two  months  had  passed  away,  he  died  in  Newburyport. 

*  The  facts  abovr  staled  nro  taken  from  Stiles's  Literary  Diary.  The  calculations, 
perhaps  extravagant  with  regard  to  the  number  of  White-field's  hearers,  were  the  com 
mon  calculations  of  the  time. 


MEMOIR.  87 

While  Mr.  Whitefield  was  at  Newport,  he  was  invited,  with  Mr. 
Hopkins  and  others,  «•  to  break  Hut  with  a  religious  family,  about  fivo 
miles  from  town.  On  their  way,  Mr.  Whitefield  said  to  Mr.  H.,  « I 
am  sorry  that  you  New  England  ministers  employ  so  much  of  your 
time  in  controversy.  [A  remark  often  repeated  since  Whitefield's 
time.]  I  wish  you  would  devote  your  attention  more  immediately 
to  the  conversion  of  sinners.'  Mr.  II.  replied,  4I  have  not  published 
so  large  a  pamphlet  in  the  way  of  dispute  as  yours  against  Mr. 
Wesley.'  [A  fit  reply,  to  which  Whitefield  rejoined,]  «  O,  the  doc 
trine  of  Mr.  Wesley  was  so  contrary  to  the  faith,  and  so  dangerous, 
that  a  regard  for  the  cause  of  Christ  compelled  me  to  attempt  its 
refutation.' .  •  The  same  motive,'  said  Mr.  II.,  « may  have  influenced 
others ;  it.  certainly  did  me  in  what  I  have  written.'  [An  apt  retort.] 
After  11  considerable  pause,  Mr.  Whitefield  said,  *  Is  it  not  surprising, 
and  much  to  be  regretted,  that  good  Mr.  Edwards  should  deny  the 
witness  of  the  Spirit  1 '  Mr.  II.  replied,  *  I  did  not  know  that  he  had. 
What  do  you  understand,  sir,  by  the  witness  of  the  Spirit?'  Mr. 
W.  paused  in  apparent  study  for  a  definition.  Mr.  II.  said,  *  Do 
you  mean  by  it  an  impression  on  the  imagination,  by  some  immediate 
communication  from  the  Spirit,  that  your  sins  are  forgiven,  and  that 
you  arc  a  child  of  God?  '  *  No,'  said  Mr.  W.,  'that  does  not  ex 
press  my  opinion.'  '  Do  you  then  mean,'  said  Mr.  II.,  'an  influence 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  exciting  such  a  love  for  God  and  Jesus  Christ, 
such  clear  views  of  their  character,  as  that  the  subject  of  it  knows 
from  experience  and  from  Scripture,  that  he  in  a  child  of  God  and 
an  heir  of  salvation  ?  *  'Thin,'  said  Mr.  W.,  •more  accords  with 
mv  views.'  «  Yet  this,'  said  Mr.  If.,  'is  that  witness  of  the  Spirit  for 
which  Mr.  Edwards  pleads,  in  distinction  from  the  former,  which  he 
represents  as  a  species  of  enthusiasm."' * 

This  conversation  well  illustrates  the  Socratic  method  of  Mr. 
Hopkins  in  conducting  u  dispute. 


SECT.   XXV.    AFFECTIONATE  INTERCOURSE  WITH  FRIENDS. 

More  is  known  of  Mr.  Hopkins's  inner  life  during  the  first  six 
years  of  his  residence  at  Newport,  than  during  any  other  period  of 
his  history.  And  the  first  impression  which  his  correspondence 
during  this  period  makes  upon  the  mind  is,  that  he  was  a  man  not 
only  of  glowing  love  to  his  Maker,  but  likewise  of  warm  and  deep 
affection  to  his  fellow-men.  As  he  delighted  in  unreserved  submis 
sion  of  all  his  interests  to  God,  so  he  chose  to  sacrifice  himself  for 
the  welfare  of  those  who  were  made  in  the  image  of  God.  The 
germ  of  his  theology  lay  in  bis  benevolent  spirit.  He  was  an  em 
bodied  refutation  of  the  saying  so  often  quoted  from  Edmund  Burke, 


•  Patten's  Reminiscences,  pp.  G7,  68.     Sec  likewise  Ferguson's  Memoir,  pp.  52,  63. 


MEMOIR. 

that  there  is  no  heart  so  hard  as  that  of  a  thorough-bred  metaphysi 
cian.  One  reason  why  he  loved  to  press  certain  articles  of  Calvin 
ism  to  their  logical  sequences  was,  that  ho  loved  to  contemplate 
the  happiness  of  his  fellow-men  as  they  were  swallowed  up  in  the 
glory  of  their  Father  in  heaven.  True,  ho  had  so  much  of  the 
philosophical  temperament  that  he  expressed  his  feelings  less  easily 
mid  readily  than  some  do,  and  he  often  appeared,  to  men  who  did 
not  know  him,  impassible  and  stern;  but  that  there  was  a  heart 
heating  with  strong  and  quick  pulsations  in  his  giant  frame,  is  shown 
in  many  of  his  letters,  and  especially  in  those  which  he  wrote  during 
the  meridian  of  his  life.  It  must  lie  acknowledged  that  somo  of  his 
correspondence  is  too  affectionate  to  be  spread  out  before  the  multi 
tude,  who  choose  to  complain  of  him  us  dried  up  and  ossified  It  is 
delightful  to  notice  the  style  in  which  he  often  begins  or  closes  his 
epistles,  and  which  betrays  his  unconscious  struggling  for  words  to 
express  his  pent-up  attachments.  The  following  are  specimens,  from 
his  letters  to  various  friends.* 

u  .  .  .  I  nm,  with  grout  sincerity,  high  esteem,  and  constant,  warm 
affection  nnd  gratitude,  your  real  friend  and  ready  servant,  S.  11." 

"...  Suller  UK?  to  say,  I  pri/.c  the  interest  I  have  in  your  heart  more 
than  the  possession  of  the-  whole  world;  and  hone  always  to  be,  with  growing 
esteem  and  affection,  your  obliged  friend,  S.  II." 

"...  My  heart  in  affected  with  [this]  fresh  instance  of  your  gen 
erosity,  benevolence,  and  friendship.  I  give  you  thanks  ;  and  would  have  you 
believe  that  my  breast  glows  with  a  gratitude  which  words  cannot  express, 
and  that  1  pri/.e  the  gift  chiefly  for  the  sake  of  the  giver,  and  an  a  fresh  token 
of  your  love  and  friendship.  Verily,  you  shall  have  your  reward.  I  please 
myself  with  a  particular  remembrance  in  your  prayers,  wJiiln  absent  on  my 
proposed  journey  ;  and  may  assure  you  that  I  shall  remember  you,  with  other 
dear  Christian  friends,  so  far  us  I  remember  myself,  ut  least.  With  the  best 
wishes  I  am  capable  of,  and  tender  affection  and  gratitude,  I  am  your  very 
unworthy,  greatly  obliged  friend  and  servant,  S.  II." 

"  ...  As  words  only  will  not  tell  how  much  I  esteem  nnd  pri/.o  you, 
how  dear  v«»i  art!  to  me  as  a  Christian  friend,- — and  all  words  are  vain  with 
out  a  conduct  answerable,  —  I  think  not  to  attempt  to  tell.  May  nil  my  con 
duct  in  the  station  in  which  (lod  has  set  me,  testify  how  much  i  esteem  you, 
and  pri/.e  your  friendship  and  prayers.  (),  how  wonderful  is(5od  in  his  good 
ness!  I  have  boon  affected  with  his  goodness  for  many  years,  in  giving  me 
such  Christian  friends;  which  I  valued  as  the  greatest  favor  in  life,  and  for 
which  I  have  daily  blessed  (Jod,  and  have  had  ardent  desires  to  continue  in 
this  his  goodness.  That  you  should  have  such  exercises  nnd  pleasure,  in 
giving  thanks  to  (lod  for  his  goodness  to  and  by  me,  is  greatly  pleasing  nnd 
affecting.  May  nil  your  pious,  benevolent  wishes  and  prayers  be  answered  ! 
Want  of  time  forbids  my  adding,  except  that  I  nm,  with* high  esteem,  and 
constant,  tender  affection,  your  obliged  friend,  and  willing  serviuit,  S.  II." 

44  ...  I  thank  you  a  thousand  times  for  your  last  kind  letter.  I  only 
write  a  lino  now,  to  easo  and  give  a  little  pleasure  to  my  own  heart,  by 
expressing  a  little  of  my  esteem  and  love,  and  the  great  obligations  I  feel 


MEMOIR.  89 

myself  under  to  jroa,  and  the  sense  I  have  of  the  privilege  and  happiness  of 
tlna  dear  friendship." 

"...  God's  goodness  to  you  does  give  me  joy.  For  this  I  have 
many  titties  greatly  rejoiced,  and  hope  to  rejoice  in  it  forever." 

*•  .  .  .  If  there  is  any  thing  right  in  my  heart,  it  often  most  sensibly 
appears  in  its  readiness  to  unite  to  the  dear  people  of  God,  and  desiring  and 
delighting  in  their  love  and  friendship." 

"...  I  thank  you  a  thousand  timos  for  your  kindness,  and  [for  the] 
freedom  you  use  in  writing.  I  pray  you  to  continue  it.  My  heart  is  dis- 
posod  to  love,  esteem,  and  honor  you,  and  I  hope  I  shall  forever  bo  your 
much  obliged  friend,  S.  II." 

"...  I  rejoice  in  the  exercises  and  enjoyments  of  my  dear  friend, 
while  yonr  kind  Shepherd  is  feeding  you  in  green,  soft  pastures,  and  leading  you 
hy  still  waters.  I  trust  God  in  with  mo  in  some  sense  and  degree  at  times,  in 
answer  to  your  prayers;  which  requires  the  most  humble,  thankful  acknowl 
edgments  from  mo,  while  I  confess  and  lament  my  awful  barrenness.  It  has 
often  been  observed,  that  God  can  feed  his  children  by  a  raven.  How  dina- 
greeable  is  separation !  —  not  being  allowed  to  meet  my  dear  friends  as 
usual!  How  happy  they  who  know  what  true  friendship  is,  and  shall  be 
brought  together  never  to  part  again !  In  hope  of  this  happiness,  I  rest,  yours, 
in  the  bonds  of  the  most  sacred  friendship,  S.  II." 

"...  Excuse  the  scantiness  of  tins,  and  suffer  me  yet  to  place  myself 
among  your  most  sincere,  cordial,  obliged,  affectionate  friends.  I  hope  and 
trust  I  shall  bo  so,  as  long  as  I  am  S.  HOPKINS." 

Can  we  wonder,  tlmt  a  mnn  who  hml  so  strong  attachments  to 
his  fellow-men,  delighted  also  in  using  the  strongest  expressions  of 
love  to  the  great  King ;  in  surrendering  all  interests  to  him,  for 
this  world  and  the  next;  in  exalting  him  as  a  Sovereign,  high 
above  all  creatures?  This  is  IIopkinsiuniHin,  as  it  appears  in  its 
original  defenders.  Wo  have  heard  much  of  "the  Arctic  regions 
of  HopkinsianiMin,"  of  its  «« hyperborean  wildernesses."  Such  re 
marks  are  forcible,  lint  the  men  who  originated  the  Hopkinsinn 
peculiarities  wore  men  of  warm  hearts  as  well  as  cool  heads.  The 
doctrines  and  the  spirit  of  their  system  are  indicated  in  the  following 
statement  of  one  who  know  the  private  habits  of  tho  Newport  divine, 
and  testifies  tlmt  *•  bo  would  sometimes  come  from  bis  study,  where 
be  bad  been  intently  engaged  in  the  contemplation  of  the  law  made 
honorable  and  magnified  by  tho  atonement,  and  would  walk  across 
bis  parlor  floor  for  the  space  of  two  or  throe  hours,  pressing  |iis 
bands  together  in  tho  most  ravishing  delight,  and  seemingly  in  such 
an  ecstasy  as  to  be  unable  to  contain  himself."  *  Stern  as  ho  was  in 
bis  logical  processes,  he  would  often  weep  in  the  pulpit  and  at  the 
communion  table,  so  as  to  make  his  utterance  indistinct. 


SECT.   XXVI.    EFFECT  OF  THE  IIKVOLUTIONAIIY  WAR  UPON  THE 
MINISTRY  OF  MR.  HOPKINS. 

The  discouraging  influence  of  tho  Canadian  wars  upon  the  minis 
ter  of  Great  Harrington -has  been  noticed  already.     His  heart  wan 

•  Statement  of  Mr*.  Hopkins,  ai  found  in  Forguion'i  Memoir,  p.  131. 


90  MKMOIR. 

far  more  saddened,  howevor,  by  tho  effect  of  the  revolutionary  war 
upon  his  pastorate  in  Rhode  Island.  He  was  in  f\  patriotic  and 
resolute  little  colony.  It  claims  to  have  struck  the  first  blow  result 
ing  in  the  revolution.  The  British  armed  sloop  Liberty  was  scut 
tled  and  burned,  in  defiance  of  tho  crown,  by  the  people  of  Newport, 
as  early  as  August,  1709.  The  armed  schooner  Oaspee  was  de 
stroyed  by  them  in  June,  1772.  The  ton  was  not  thrown  overboard 
in  Boston  harbor  until  177-1.  Newport  burned  with  n,  revolutionary 
spirit,  during  all  the  disputes  which  preceded  tho  general  resort  to 
'arms.  It*  harbor  was  early  blockaded  by  the  British.  In  Decem 
ber,  1770,  the  British  troops,  numbering  eight  or  ten  thousand,  com 
manded  bv  (icneral  Clinton  and  Lord  Percy,  took  possession  of  tho 
town.  There  were  many  Tories  in  the  place ;  but  the  Whigs,  as 
many  as  were  able,  lied  to  the  inland  retreats.  It  Was  of  no  use 
for  the  clergy  to  remain.  Dr.  Stiles  left  on  the  Ittth  of  March,  1770. 
Mr.  Hopkins  sent  his  family  to  (Iivut  Harrington  two  years  before; 
but,  true  to  his  instinct  of  holding  on  to  the  last,  he  himself  clung  to 
Newport  until  the  December  of  '70.  Some  of  his  congregation,  who 
remained  in  the  town,  were  imprisoned  by  the  enemy.  His  par 
sonage  was  destroyed  by  the  British  troops.  His  meeting-house  was 
used  as  a  barrack  and  hospital.  Its  pulpit  and  pews  were  demol 
ished,  its  windows  wew  broken  or  lo.st,  and  its  bell  was  curried 
away  by  the  enemy  evacuating  the  town.  In  tho  same  mnnner  did 
•the  British  treat  every  church  edifice,  except  the  Kpiscopul,  in  the 
place1.  During  tin;  cold  wenther,  they  were  quartered  in  the  private 
houses  of  the  town,  and  did  much  to  annoy  those  inhabitants  who 
had  not  escaped  from  the  siege.  They  cut  down  for  fuel  the  groves 
of  forest-trees,  and  the  rich  fruit  and  ornamental  trees  which  had 
every  where  adorned  the  island.  They  injured  or  destroyed  the 
fences  and  wharves  of  the  town.  When  they  left  it,  in  October, 
1771),  "the  general  appearance  of  the  greater  portion  of  the  buildings 
was  truly  distressing;  sashes  and  glass  mostly  gone,  and  windows 
boarded  up,  with  here  and  there  a  solitary  square-  of  glass  cut  into 
the  boarding,  and  often  not  more  than  one  square  to  a  window."  * 
About  four  hundred  and  eighty  buildings  had  been  destroyed.  In 
the  spring  of  17SO,  Mr.  Hopkins  returned  to  his  desolate  parish, 
alter  an  absence  of  more  than  three  years.  If,  like  Dr.  Stiles,  he 
had  never  returned,  he  would  not  have  been  blamed  by  the  world. 
Many  of  his  congregation  had  made  their  permanent  homes  else 
where.  The  remainder  were  impoverished  and  dejected.  The 
town,  also,  having  lost  its  wealth,  a  full  half  of  its  population,  and 
nearly  all  its  eminent  capitalists,  lost  therewith  its  public  spirit.  All 
the  religious  societies  received  a  severe  shock,  under  which  some  of 


*  Memoir  of  Rhode  bland,  by  Henry  Hull,  Esq.,  in  the   Rhode  Inland  Republican, 
No.  1-UJO. 


MEMOIR.  91 

them,  as  tho  Sabbatarian  nnd  the  Jo  wish,  languished  until  they  died. 
Nor  was  |x>verty  the  solo  evil.  After  tho  British  had  retained 
possession  of  tho  place  nearly  three  years,  tho  French  army  wcro 
stationed  there  about  nino  months.  Tho  French  ofliccrs  instilled 
their  infidel  principles  into  some  of  the  best  minds  of  Newport,  and 
thus  left  an  influence  which  Mr.  Hopkins  toiled  through  his  remain 
ing  life  to  counteract.  Thus  at  Newport^as  well  as  at  Great  Har 
rington,  did  this  patriotic  minister  Bufferwith  and  for  his  country. 
After  the  revolution,  ho  was  obliged  to  accommodate  himself  to  a 
new  style  of  character  and  of  manners.  The  old,  rieh  families  had 
been  scattered,  never  to  reassemble  at  Newport,  or  else  had  been 
denuded  of  their  possessions,  or  else  had  been  supplanted  by  the 
young  republicans  whom  our  independence  had  called  up  from 
obscure  life.  At  the  age  of  sixty,  he  was  not  supple  enough  to  com 
ply  with  those  peculiar  democratic  changes  which  the  revolution 
introduced  into  the  Nnrrugansct  country.  lie  lived  through  a  part 
of  two  singularly  different  ages  there.  He  could  have  labored  more 
effectively  had  there  been  no  such  transition  ;  for  lie  was  less  flexible 
than  strong. 

When  this  indefatigable  man  returned  to  his  parish,  he  conducted 
public  worship  at  first  in  a  private  house,  afterward  in  the  Sabbata 
rian  meeting-house,  Hut,  complying  with  a  voto  of  his  church,  he 
wrote,  in  1?H^,  u  pathetic  appeal  to  his  Christian  friends,  "in  Boston 
and  Connecticut  States,"  for  aid  in  repairing  his  own  church  edifice, 
and  also  sustaining  in  it  tho  ordinances  of  the  gospel.  Dr.  Spring's 
church  at  Newburyport  responded  to  this  appeal,  in  a  donation  of 
eighteen  pounds;  the  Federal  Street  Church,  of  the  same  place,  sent 
him  twenty-eight  pounds;  and  the  church  of  Professor  Peres  Fobes, 
of  Itaynham,  sent  a  pulpit.  Still  the  poor  man  received  no  regular 
salary  for  himself.  During  the  first  year  after  his  return,  his  society 
did  not  even  dare  to  take  up  a  contribution  for  bis  support.  At  the 
close  of  that  year,  he  was  invited  and  urged  to  settle  in  the  ministry 
at  Middleboro',  Massachusetts,  where  he  could  be  well  remuner 
ated.  His  affectionate  people,  however,  entreated  him  to  remain, 
and  promised  to  make  sacrifices  for  his  sustenance,  lie  complied 
with  their  wishes;  but,  ut  the  end  of  three  and  a  half  years  from  his 
return,  when  the  expenses  of  living  were  unusually  high,*  he  wrote 
to  his  church  a  pitiful  letter,  informing  them  that  he  had  been,  during 
their  past  discouragements,  "  loath  to  complain  and  make  known  [hisj 
wants  to  the  congregation ;  "  and  had  been  compelled  to  use  for  his 


*  In  his  letters  written  during  this  period,  Mr.  Hopkins  often  describes  tho  snfT»>riit«7 
of  the  Newport  poor,  especially  for  fuel.  The  llritisu  had  mado  nucli  havoc  with  tho 
forests,  that,  during  tho  winter  after  their  departure,  wood  was  sold  for  twenty  dollars 
per  cord.  Corn  was  §old  at  four  dollars  prr  bushel.  Sco  Memoir  of  Rhodo  Island,  by 
Henry  Bull,  K»q.,  iu  the  Rhode  Island  Republican,  No.  1460.  This,  however,  was  an 
uncommonly  severe  winter,  and  expenses  were  subsequently  reduced. 


92  MEMOIR. 

•«  house-rent  and  a  smt  of  clothes  "  imd  for  the  support  of  liis  family, 
a  portion  of  the  ninety-eight  pounds  which  Imd  hccn  scut  hy  Chris 
tians  in  other  places  for  the  support  of  the  gospel  at  Newport.  His 
church,  burdened  with  the  cnro  of  its  poor  laymen,  justified  its  pastor 
in  this  appropriation,  which  he  had  been  compelled  to  make  for  the 
sustenance  of  his  household ;  yet  how  humiliating  that  such  a  man 
.should  ho  reduced  to  such  penury  !* 

It  is  well  known  that  Mr.  Hopkins  has  been  blamed  for  not  raising 
up  his  church  from  this  depressed  condition,  for  not  rolling  back  the 
tide  of  infidelity  which  had  set  in  from  France,  for  not  rousing  the 
energies  of  his  dispirited  people.  He  has  been  thus  blamed  by  the 
very  men  who  believe  that  (iod  is  a  Sovereign  in  the  bestowmcnt  of 
spiritual,  as  well  as  temporal  blessings.  All  preachers  have  not  the 
SMIIK;  2;itts  ;  and  although  we  may  suppose  that  a  Bellamy  would 
have  attracted  large  audiences  in  Newport,  after  the  revolution,  we 
cannot  think  it  strange;,  that  n  student,  like  Hopkins,  between  the 
age  of  sixty-three  and  that  of  eighty-three,  failed  to  restore  his  con 
gregation  to  its  former  prosperity •  They  remained  poor.  He  lived 
and  died  poor.  Let  us  now  consider  his  "  disinterested  benevolence." 


SECT.  XXVII.    CONDUCT  IN  THR  MIDST  OF  POVERTY. 

He  was  an  optimist.  His  theology  made  him  such.  "He  was 
an  illustration,"  says  Dr.  Channing,  *»  of  the  power  of  our  spiritual 
nature.  In  narrow  circumstances,  with  few  outward  indulgences,  in 
great  seclusion,  he  yet  found  much  to  enjoy.  He  lived  in  n  world 
of  thought,  above  all  earthly  passions."  —  "  It  has  been  my  privilege 
to  meet  with  other  examples  of  the  same  character  ;  with  men  who, 
amidst  privation,  under  bodily  infirmity,  and  with  none  of  those 
materials  of  enjoyment  which  the  multitude  arc  striving  for,  live  in 
a  world  of  thought,  and  enjoy  what  aflluenee  never  dreamed  of, — 
men  having  nothing  and  yet  possessing  all  things  ;  and  the  sight  of 
such  has  done  me  more  good,  has  spoken  more  to  my  head  and 
heart,  than  many  sermons  and  volumes.  I  have  learned  the  sulli- 
rieney  of  the  mind  to  itself,  its  independence  on  outward  things."  t 
Then;  is  something  truly  sublime  in  the  record  which  Hopkins  has 
left  of  his  scholarly  and  Christian  independence,  alter  his  church 
had  been  enfeebled  by  the  war.  His  words  are: 

"  I  then  concluded  to  stay  at  Newport,  nnd  my  wife;  and  one  daughter  cnmo 
to  live  with  me,  us  the  rest  of  my  children  were  otherwise  settled.  There  was 

*  Wo  feel  a  humiliation  of  the  same  kind,  when  Hopkins  describes  to  us  the  pecu 
niary  prospects  of  1'resident  Kdwnrds,  and  says:  "His  correspondent*  nnd  oilier 
friends  in  Scotland,  hearing  of  his  dismission,  imd  fearing  it  might  hd  ilie  moans  of 
bringing  him  into  worldly  straits,  generously  contributed  n  handsome  »nm,  and  sent  it 
over  to  him." 

\  Works,  vol.  iv.  pp.  352,  353. 


MEMOIR.  93 

no  particular  sum  mentioned  which  they  [t.  e.,  my  society]  would  give ;  and 
thus  I  have  lived  ever  since,  receiving  whut  has  been  given  by  a  weekly  con- 
tribution  and  donations  which  particular  friends  havo  made.  I  have  taken 
care  not  to  run  in  debt  for  the  necessaries  of  life,  though  frequently  if  a  dol 
lar  extraordinary  had  boon  called  'for,  it  would  havo  rendered  me  a  bankrupt. 
I  have  endeavored  to  live  as  cheap  aud  low  as  I  could,  and  be  comfortable, 
and  answer  the  ends  of  living  in  my  station  and  business ;  and  have  experi 
enced,  through  a  course  of  years,  remarkable  interpositions  in  divine  Provi 
dence,  by  which  I  havo  been  supplied  with  the  necessaries  of  life  in  ways 
unthought  of;  and  have  boon  preserved  from  suflbring,  for  want  of  food  or 
raiment,  whether  I  received  less  or  more.*  When  more  than  common  has 
been  given,  calls  for  living  havo  been  equally  greater ;  and  when  I  have  re 
ceived  but  little,  there  has  been  a  less  demand  for  necessaries  to  support  the 
f.uiiily,  and  less  has  been  as  sufficient  as  more.  This  has  made  me  often 
think  of  what  is  said  of  the  children  of  Israel,  with  respect  to  the  manna  on 
which  they  lived:  'lie  that  gathered  much  had  nothing  over,  and  ho  that 
gathered  little  had  no  lack.'  I  have,  been  saved  from  anxiety  about  living, 
and  luvo  had  a  thousand  times  less  care  and  trouble  about  the  world,  than  if 
I  hid  [enjoyed]  a  great  abundance,  and  been  in  high  life,  attended  with  ser 
vants,  equipage,  much  company,  entertainments,  and  high  living.  Being  thus 
fr^ed  from  worldly  care  and  anxiety,  endeavoring  to  cast  my  care  on  (lod 
with  respect  to  living,  not  seeking  gnnl  things  in  the  world,  and  being  in  a 
great  measure  unconnected  with  the  great  and  rich  in  the  world,  and  gay,  un 
profitable  company,  I  have  had  more  time  to  attend  to  my  studies,  in  which, 
and  in  a  retired  life,  I  have  taken  the  greatest  pleasure;  and  particularly 
have  had  leisure  to  write  my  '  System  of  Divinity,'  which  1  hope  will  not  provo 
useless."  f 

There  was,  indeed,  n  close  connection  between  his  «<  System  of 
Divinity "  nud  Ins  freedom  from  avarice.  He  was  not  tempted  to 
shape  his  hooks  for  the  market.  No  divine  lias  been  more  free 
from  even  n  latent  wish  to  trim  his  words,  so  as  to  suit  or  to  get 
purchasers.  He  felt  no  inducement  to  discard  u  plain  term,  or  to 
adopt  a  vague  term,  to  .search  out  ambiguous  phrases  on  critical  ques 
tions,  to  favor  u  popular,  when  he  did  not  regard  it  a  true,  doctrine, 
for  the  sake  of  gaining  that  filthy  lucre  which,  in  the  theological 
world,  is  the  root  of  much  evil.  This  fact  gives  an  immense  value 
to  his  writings.  They  are  the  writings  of  a  spiritual  and  honest 
man.  Their  authority  would  be  lessened,  if  they  had  come  from  a 
soul  blunted  and.  debased  by  a  passion  for  wealth;  if  they  bad  been 
published,  not  to  be  the  fair  exponents  of  bis  inward  faith,  but  to  be 
sold,  —  as  Voltaire  confessed  that  he  himself  "  wrote  history,  not  to 
be  believed,  but  to  be  read." 

Equally  noble  does  this  freedom  from  avarice  appear  in  Hopkins, 
as  a  pastor,  lie  \vas  frequently  receiving  offers  of  eligible  stations 
in  .Massachusetts  and  Connecticut,  but  he  chose  to  stiller  allliction 
for  the  good  of  his  people.  A  few  weeks  after  bis  return  to  New 
port,  during  the  revolutionary  war,  be  writes  to  Dr.  West: 

*  Mr.  l-Vrpi-inn  nay*  thai  Hopkiin  wan  never  inclined  to  inquire,  iulo  tho  "  xincorily 
of  those  who  solicited  charity,  ll  was  enough  lor  liiin,  if  they  worn  willing  to  lu'ff  }  and 
in  his  own  deep  poverty,  he  thanked  Cod  that  he  was  never  solicited  when  he  had 
nothing  to  fjivo  away.''  — MS.  letter. 

t  Sketches,  pp.  71MH. 


94  MEMOIR. 

"  I  am  fallen  into  new  trials  by  coming  hero.  My  people  are  poor,  and 
have  but  littlo  course.  The  other  inhabitants  of  the  town,  almost  to  a  man, 
aro  enemies  to  our  prosperity.  The  lending  people  of  Dr.  Stilus's  congrega 
tion  have  heartily  wished  I  miff  hi  never  return  again,  and  hopod  my  congrc- 
Cation  would  join  with  them  in  settling  a  man  whom  tliey  should  like.  They 
are  resolved  not  to  hoar  me,  ns  they  dislike  my  doctrines  in  general,  and  es 
pecially  my  opposition  to  the  slavery  of  Africans.  They  are  determined  to 
have  preaching  among  themselves,  and  have  applied  to  Dr.  Stiles  to  send 


them  a  candidate.  My  people  have  not  courage  enough  to  attempt  to  fix  our 
meeting-house,  HO  as  to  be  fit  for  us  to  meet  there.  We  hold  public  worship 
in  the  Seventh-day  [Baptist]  meeting-house,  which,  though  small,  is  big  enough 
for  us,  in  our  diminished  state.  Hut  what  is  worst  of  all,  there  is  a  general 
stupidity  and  carelessness  about  the  important  things  of  religion,  hnd  the  minds 
of  the  people  aro  more  filled  with  the  cares  of  this  world,  than  they  were 
when  I  leil  them!  In  a  word,  we  are  as  a  valley  of  dry  bones,  very  dry,  and 
Cod  only  knows  whether  we  shall  live." 

Still  lie  continued,  without  faltering,  to  preach  the  same  unpopu 
lar  doctrines,  in  defiance  of  penury.  After  a  hrief  interval,  he  had 
Dr.  Stilus's  congregation  ns  his  hearers.  Uimhlc  to  sustain  u  pastor 
for  themselves,  they  continued  to  worship  with  the  First  Church  * 
until  178(5,  when  they  invited  Dr.  Patten  to  heconie  th'.'ir  minister. 
Hut  Dr.  Patten  was  unwilling  to  he  an  instrument  of  reducing  the 
audience  and  the  pecuniary  support  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  and  there 
fore  "waited  on  Dr.  Hopkins,  and  Informed  him.  of  the  call,  and 
assured  him,  if  hy  accepting  it  he  should  injure  his  intefest,  or  hurt 
his  feelings,  he  would  refuse.  lie  replied,  that  he  wished  him  to 
accept;  that  it  was  hest  for  the  two  societies  to  he  separate."  t  How 
easy  it  would  have  heeu  for  Hopkins  to  deprive  the  Second  Church 
of  their  expected  pastor,  and  thus  continue  them  as  subscribers  to 
his  maintenance!  But  he  was  disinterested.  And  it  is  here  deserv 
ing  of  remark,  that  he  soon  attached  Dr.  Patten  to  himself, 'as  a  son 
to  a  father  ;  and  never  were  two  colleagues  better  united  than  they, 
in  belief  as  well  as  atlectiou. 

It  is  a  pleasing  fact,  that  nearly  all  the  letters  of  Hopkins  to 
his  friends  are  either  theological,  or  else  contain  some  benevolent 
proposal  for  the  relief  of  the  poor  or  distressed.  About  ti  half  cen- 
turv  after  his  death,  he  was  thus  mentioned  by  one  who,  when  a 
child,  was  acquainted  with  his  manner  of  life: 

u  The  doctrine  of  disinterested  benevolence,  which  was  the  deep-lying 
principle  of  his  system,  had,  in  his  life  and  his  character,  constant,  and  practi 
cal  illustration.  His  society  was  small,  and  its  means  not  large.  Well  do  I 
remember  the  simple,  unpaintcd  parsonage,  and  the  testimony  every  body  bore 
to  the  daily  and  self-sacrificing  charity  of  the  pastor.  He  accepted  literally 
the  saying  of  St.  Paul,  that  he  was  ready  to  be  [accursed]  for  the  glory  of 
(iod:  how  willing  was  he  to  'sell  all,  and  to  give  to  the  poor!'  It  woa 
the  custom  then  to  go  to  'look  on  the  face  of  the  dead;'  and  though  very 
young,  I  went  with  others  to  sec  this  patriarch  saint  in  his  coffin.  The  mem 
ory  of  him  then,  and  of  bin  cxhaustlesa  love,  kindness,  and  charity,  is  fresher 

*  See  p.  C2  of  this  Memoir.  t  Patten's  Reminiscences,  pp.  91,  92. 


MEMOIR.  95 

\ 

with  me  than  arc  any  of  the  peculiar  doctrinal  views  which,  in  h«  great  in 
firmity  and  ago,  he  gave  to  us  from  the  pulpit."  * 


SECT.  XXVIII.   THREE  YEARS'  ABSENCE  FROM  NEWPORT. 

From  December,  1770,  until  the  spring  of  1781,  Mr.  Hopkins 
labored  in  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut.  We  have  already  seen  t 
that  a  large  donation  was  sent  to  his  church  from  Ncwburyport,  in 
1783.  This  was,  in  part,  an  acknowledgment  of  his  services  there 
during  the  summer  of  1777.  On  the  19th  of  June  in  that  year,  he 
writes  to  Dr.  West : 

"  I  have  engaged  to  preach  tare  to  the  congregation  [now  Fedora!  Street] 
to  which  Mr.  Parsons  used  to  minister,  for  Homo  time,  perhaps  all  summer. 
It  in,  I  suppose,  the  largest  congregation  on  the  continent.  A  great  door 
and  effectual  is  opened  unto  mo,  and  there  arc  muny  adversaries.  I  have 
concluded  1  have  a  call  to  stay  tore  for  the  present,  as  there  seems  to  be  a 
prospect  of  doing  good  among  a  people  who  arc  not  so  much  prejudiced 
against  the  truth  as  many  are,  and  yet  most  of  them  are  much  in  the  Aark.  I 
hope  there  is  a  considerable  number  of  good  Christians  here.  I  am  disposed 
to  make  the  prayer  of  the  Psalmist,  [cxix.  7(\]  '  I^et  those  that  four  time  turn 
unto  me,  and  those  that  have  known  thy  testimonies.'  If  I  may  be  useful  to 
these,  by  expounding  unto  them  the  way  of  (Jod  more  perfectly,  I  shall  he 
happy  ;  and  who  knows  but  the  heart  of  some  p<x>r  sinner  may  ho  opened  hy 
Christ  to  attend  to  the  truths  that  shall  be  spoken?  As  I  have  now,  in  some 
degree,  the  charge  of  such  a  multitude  of  souls,  it  has  brought  a  new  burden 
upon  me.  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things?  The  afiair  of  baptism  seems 
to  be  settled  between  Mr.  Spring  and  the  people,  who  have  given  him  a  call, 
they  having  nothing  w herewith  to  oppose  him.  But  another  peril  yet  more 
dreadful,  if  possible,  is  comb  into  view,  vi/..,  unrcffencraie  doings.  Mr.  Spring 
is  determined  to  preach  6+rilR:  subject  next  Sublwth,  and  open  his  mind  fully. 
It  is  most  probable  thev  will  not  set  up  against  him  in  this,  and  that  he  will 
settle  among  them,  and  I  hope  will  be  greatly  useful  in  this  town."  \ 

The  hope  which  Mr.  Hopkins  indulged,  of  being  useful  to  some 
one  of  his  new  charge,  was  gratified  ;  and  it  is  curious  to  trace  the 
lines  through  which  his  influence  upon  a  single  hearer  was  dissem 
inated,  at  length,  over  multitudes  whom  he  never  knew.  That 
hearer  was  Miss  Abigail  (Joodhuc,  then  a  young  lady  of  twenty-one 
years.  Her  biographer  says  of  her:  •*, 

"  She  had  a  mind  to  appreciate,  and  a  heart  to  receive  instructions  like 
those  communicated  by  Mr.  Hopkins  —  clear,  deep,  comprehensive,  and 

*  A  Lecture  delivered  before  the  Mechanic!  Apprentices'  Library  Association,  Jan 
uary,  1f)15,  by  Waller  dimming,  M.  !>.,  Huston,  Massachusetts. 

t  See  p.  9*1. 

$  Hoth  .Mr.  Hopkins  nnd  Mr.  Spring  encountered  much  opposition  in  the  town  during 
tliis  summer.  Rev.  S.  I'.  Williams  says,  in  his  Historical  Account  of  the  Pcdurnl 
Street  Church,  that  "  although  some  few  of  his  [Mr.  II. 's]  tenets  were  peculiarly  adimi* 
to  the  church  and  congregation,  he  was  heard  with  candor  during  the  whole  period  of 
his  engagement."  The  subject  of  baptism  was  one  of  the  main  causes  of  dissension  5 
and  on  that  subject  the  majority  of  evangelical  Christians  would  now  coincide  with  Mr. 
Hopkins,  rather  than  with  his  opponents  in  that  controversy. 


96  MEMOIR. 

t 

strongly  doctrinal.  Sho  hcnrd  him  with  profound  attention,  ftnd  was  greatly 
affected  with  his  preaching.  Though  a  stranger,  he  soon  marked  the  interest 
with  which  she  listened  to  the  word  of  life,  and  concluded  that  she  was  either 
n,  young  disciple  or  a  serious  inquirer  on  the  subject  of  religion.  Ho  sought 
an  acquaintance  with  her. 

"  The  first  interview  in  thus  described  [by  Miss  Goodhuo] :  'My  mind  was 
solemn,  but  nut  quite  free  from  perturbation,  which  being  noticed  by  Mr.  Hop 
kins,  he  conversed  for  a  few  moments  in  a  free  and  condescending  manner, 
when  my  fears  loll  me.  lie  was  now  ready  to  introduce  the  subject  he  had 
so  much  at  heart.  lie  asked  me  how  the  truths  I  had  heard  him  deliver 
n fleeted  my  mind  ;  whether  I  had  any  hope  that  I  Ind  experienced  a  renova 
tion  of  heart;  how  long  I  had  been  serious;  whether  I  did  not  think  it  my 
duty  to  unite  with  Home  church.  In  jx.'rson  lie  was  large,  in  mien  dignified, 
and  his  open,  manly  countenance  beamed  sweet  benignity  and  benevolence. 
I  loved  him  as  a  father,  and  revered  him  as  a  messenger  of  (Jod,  sent  to  com 
fort  my  desponding  heart.  I  wanted  to  conceal  nothing  of  my  spiritual  trials; 
and  he  attended  to  all  my  perplexities  with  paternal  interest.'  This  interview, 
nnd  others,  wen?  remembered  by  her  with  gratitude  during  life.  Speaking 
of  a  pastoral  visit  made  by  Mr.  Hopkins  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Coombs,  she 
says,  '  His  conversation  was  condescending  and  kind,  and  before  he  left  us 
h'j  prayed  in  a  feeling  und  solemn  manner.  Indeed,  he  seemed  to  me  moro 
like  his  divine  Master  than  any  one  I  had  ever  seen.'"  * 

After  Mr.  Hopkins  lelt  Ncwburyport,  he  wrote  a  letter  to  Miss  Goodhuo,  and 
enclosed  in  it  one  from  his  daughter.  Miss  (Joodhue  thus  speaks  of  the  inci 
dent:  "I  WHS  affected  with  this  token  of  fatherly  affection,  and  soon  returned 
an  answer.  Is  not  this  good  man's  finding  a  poor,  disconsolate  orphan,  as 
I  was,  in  a  large  assembly,  and  pouring  cordials  into  my  fainting  heart,  a 
token  for  good  r  Trust  in  (Jod,  O  my  soul,  for  I  slnll  vet  praise  him." 

"  How  long  the  corres|M»ndencc  by  letter  continued,**  remarks  her  biogra 
pher,  "I  do  not  know;  but  the  Christian  friendship  between  this  servant  of 
Christ  and  'a  desolate  orphan'  continued  so  long  as  lie  lived,  and,  doubtless, 
is  since  perpetuated  in  a  better  world.  She  confided  in  his  friendship  and 
judgment,  drank  in  his  instructions,  and  followed  his  counsels.  And  certainly 
they  had  a  decided  influence  upon  her  future  life.  In  accordance  with  the 
advice  of  Mr,  Hopkins,  she  attended  meeting  in  the  North  Church,  where 
Rev.  Samuel  Spring  had  been  nettled." f 

After  listening  to  the  discourses  of  Dr.  Spring  about  thirteen  years,  Miss 
(jooilhue  spent  a  winter  in  the  family  of  his  brother-in-law,  J)r,  Kmmons,  and 
there  was  atlianced  to  Hev.  K.  Hayley,  then  a  theological  student  of  Dr.  F,m- 
mons.  After  her  marriage  to  him,  she  lived  nearly  twenty-seven  years  at 
Newcastle,  Maine,  where  she  adorned  tlm  vocation  of  a.  pastor's  wite.  She 
was  particularly  useful  to  the  young  men  in  Newcastle  Academy,  more  than 
a  hundred  of  whom  boarded,  at  ditferent  times,  in  her  house,  nnd  some  of 
whom  bccamo  interested  there  in  religious  truth.  She  was  a  friend  and  cor 
respondent  of  some  distinguished  litcrnti.  She  was  among  the  first  to  labor 
for  the  establishment  of  a  theological  school  at  Hanger.  Her  husband  "  had 
as  much  agency,  perhaps,  as  any  other  man,  in  the  founding  of  our  seminary," 
says  one  of  its  most  intelligent  friends.  And  Mrs.  Hayloy's  biographer  re 
cords  of  her  and  of  two  other  ladies  with  whom  she  cooperated  :  "  Hut  for 
their  prayers  and  influence,  perhaps  the  theological  institution  of  Hangor 
might  not  have  been  established."  J  In  JH1 1,  she  writes  :  "  Illessed  be  (Jod 
for  honoring  me,  unworthy  as  I  am,  with  giving  the  first  mite  to  the  treasurer 
for  [Hangor  seminary.]  This  was  the  freewill  offering  of  a  number  of  fe 
males  in  different  places,  whose  hearts  the  Lord  has  made  to  feel  for  their 

*  Sec  Memoir  of  Mr*.  Abigail  Hnyloy,  [formerly  Miss  Goodlmo,]  a  Pilgrim  of  Ninety 
Ycnrs,  hy  Daniel  O.  Morton,  A.  M..  author  of  "  The  I/ifu  of  Rev.  Levi  Parsons,"  pp. 
32-&1. 

f  Ib.  pp.  M,  35.  t  Ib.  p.  145. 


MEMOIR.  07 

fellow  immortals.  Tho  Lord  bless  them  individually  ivith  his  special  love. 
The  little  sum  was  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars.  Tho  Lord  make  it  to  in 
crease  a  thousand  fold.  Blessed  be  God  for  making  mo  his  almoner."* 
"  Mrs,  Bayley  persevered,"  udils  her  biographer,  "  in  this  labor  of  love,  till 
she  hud  collected  and  p:iid  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Maine  Theological  Semi 
nary,  nearly  two  thousand  dollars." 

It  is  an  interesting  fact,  that  four  others  who  were  among  the  first 
in  projecting  that  school  of  the  prophets  were  Hopkinsian  divines. 
Still  more  interesting  is  the  fact,  that  nil  the  professors  who  have 
rnnght  systematic  theology  there,  hnvo  been  recognized  as  Hopkin- 
siaus.  Is  it  too  much  to  say,  that  the  Rhode  Island  pastor,  when 
he  spent  the  summer  of  1777  in  Newburyport,  was  exerting  an  in 
fluence,  real,  though  indirect  and  remote,  on  the  seminary  of  Maine  ? 
He  made  deep  and  lasting  impressions,  when  he  made  any ;  and 
when  we  remember  the  wonderful  modes  in  which  moral  influence 
is  perpetuated  and  dill'used,  is  it  visionary  to  surmise,  that  he  also 
gave  some  impulses,  then  and  there,  which  affected  the  seminary  at 
Andover  ?  lie  aided  the  most  vigorous  projector  of  that  institu 
tion,  Dr.  Spring,  in  his  incipient  troubles  at  Newburyport.  He 
maintained,  until  his  dying  day,  a  regular  correspondence  with  friends 
in  that  goodly  place.  He  made  an  impression  on  the  community  to 
which  Moses  Brown  and  William  Bartlet  belonged,  and  these  two 
men  were  munificent  founders  of  the  seminary.  They  revered  his 
memory,  t  and  their  interest  in  the  Andover  school  resulted  from 
impressions  ///r  those,  if  not  precisely  and  in  any  degree  from  //uw, 
which  be  made  upon  themselves  and  their  townsmen. 

The  winter  of  1777-8  bo  passed  in  Canterbury,  Connecticut, 
"  preaching  to  a  destitute  congregation  there."  During  the  spring 
and  summer  of  177H,  be  supplied  the  pulpit  of  bis  deceased  elnss- 
mate,  Rev.  !)r.  Noah  Wells,  at  Stamford,  Connecticut.  From  the 
autumn  of  177*  to  the  spring  of  1780,  bo  preached  in  North  Stam 
ford,  which  was  then  a  missionary  field.  He  endeavored  to  culti 
vate  it  by  :i  system  of  pastoral  visitation.  But  be  found  here,  n« 
elsewhere,  that  the  people  were  afraid  of  him.  "On  .one  occasion  bo 
called  on  uf family,  and  as  soon  as  be  was  descried  by  the  younger 
members  of  it,  they  all  fled.  After  sitting  some  time,  be  told  the 
futhcr  that  be  wished  to  oiler  prayer,  and  to  have  the  youth  and 
children  called  into  the  room.  After  much  lingering  and  many  ex 
pressions  of  timidity,  on  bis  part  as  well  as  on  theirs,  be  began  to 
pray ;  and  be  manifested  so  much  pathos  and  tenderness,  that  all 
the  members  of  the  family  were  uiVeetod  to  tears,  and  one  or  two  of 


•  Pp.  HI",  1113. 

f  When  Hopkins  preached  nt  N' erf  bury  port,  Mr.  Brown  was  in  his  thirty-fifth  year, 
and  Mr  Hnrtlcl  in  his  thirtieth,  The  last-named  gentleman  often  expressed  to  the. 
writer  his  profound  regard  for  Hopkins,  Spring,  und  Eminons.  lie  contributed  largely 
to  the  circulation  of  Hopkins's  works. 


98 


MEMOIR. 


them  became,  from  that  interview,  personally  interested  in  religion."  * 
From  his  correspondence  we  learn,  that  he  adopted  measures  for  or 
ganizing  a  church  in  this  parish.  One  was  formed  soon  after  he 
removed  to  his  Newport  home. 


SECT.  XXIX.    CHRISTIAN  EDIFICATION :  THE  OSBORN  SOCIETY. 

Although  the  church  of  Mr.  Hopkins  was  reduced  by  the  revolu 
tionary  war,  it  still  comprised  many  eminent  Christians.  His  min 
isterial  success  was  in  edifying  saints,  more  than  in  converting 
sinners.  He  may  have  been  a  means  of  as  much  good  in  deej>- 
cning  the  piety,  as  other  ministers  are  in  augmenting  the  number,  of 
the  converted.  "  Men  are  to  be  weighed,  not  counted  ;  "  and  he  is 
u  useful  man,  who  so  cultivates  the  mind  and  heart  of  others,  ns  to 
make  them  models  to  surviving  generations.  The  world  have  not 
known  how  joyful  Mr.  Hopkins  was,  in  perceiving  that  the  faith  of 
the  faithful  was  strengthened,  and  the  wisdom  of  the  wise  was  in 
creased,  by  his  instructive  sermons.  "1  ktuno,"  he  writes  to  one 
who  had  been  reanimated  by  him  in  the  divine  life,  —  "I  know  1  am 
utterly  unworthy  of  your  esteem  and  friendship,  and  yet  I  take  a 
peculiar  pleasure  in  it.  Your  expressions  of  the  benefit  you  have 
received  by  my  means,  are  peculiarly  ufVecting,  and  give  me  inex 
pressible  pleasure,  while  they  excite  thanksgiving  to  God,  and  recall 
to  my  mind  the  strong  cries  and  tears  with  which  I  sought  God 
when  coming  to  Newport,  that  I  might  be  a  means  of  good  to  his 
dear  children  here,  and  feed  his  sheep  and  lambs.  O,  what  obliga 
tions  am  1  under  to  God  !  "What  encouragement  to  wait  on  him, 
and  ask  the  greatest  things  !  He  will  outdo  all  our  desires." 

This  modest  man,  in  despite  of  all  his  charges  against  himself, 
went  even  so  far  as  to  confess,  once  at  least,  in  public,  that  he  had 
done  some  good ;  for  ho  says  in  his  Autobiography  : 

"But  few  persons  have  nppcurcd  to  have  bora  awakened  and  converted  by 
means  of  my  preaching.  Tne  most  apparent  good  it  has  over  been  the  mean-? 
of  doing,  is  the  instruction,  quickening,  and  comfort  of  Christians.  Many  of 
tills  character,  and  especially  those  who  have  appeared  most  eminent  in  dis 
cerning  and  Christian  experience,  have  highly  approved  of  my  preaching, 
which  has  been  a  great  support  and  encouragement  to  me;  though  I  have 
been  often  disposed  to  attribute  their  satisfaction  and  approbation  to  their  high 
relish  tor  the  truth,  however  poor  and  defective  the  delivery  and  exhibition  of 
it  may  be."  f 

Among  those  who  received  especial  benefit  from  the  discourses  of 
this  humble  preacher,  were  several  pious  women,  who  gave  char 
acter  to  the  religious  society  of  Newport.  He  had  learned  of  their 
excellence  before  he  ever  visited  Newport.  He  had  been  rather 

*  MS.  Letter  of  Rev.  H.  Fuller.  t  Pp.  88,  89. 


;'  MEMOIR.  99 

afraid  of  them,  as  he  was  apt  to  bo  of  famous  women.  But  he 
gave  up  his  fears,  as  soon  as  he  saw  their  worth  and  usefulness. 
We  have  already  seen  that  President  Stiles  alludes  to  a  certain 
»*  sorority,"  who  favored  Mr.  Hopkins'*  settlement.  This  was  a 
religious  association,  formed  by  some  females  of  the  First  Church, 
as  early  as  1741.  The  design  of  the  association  was,  to  promote 
the  spiritual  good  of  its  members,  and  the  general  interests  of 
religion,  by  reading,  conversation,  alms,  and  especially  by  prayer. 
Its  meetings  were  hold  every  Wednesday  or  Thursday  aAernoon. 
It  had  11  regular  presiding  officer,  and  a  constitution  embracing 
many  excellent  moral  rules.  In  1772,  it  contained  more  than  sixty 
members.  Three  years  before  Dr.  Hopkins's  decease,  Mr.  Wil 
liam  Gyles  gave  "the  south  end  of  his  house"  to  be  the  property 
of  the  society,  so  long  as  it  should  continue  to  meet  "  lor  praying." 
In  IH()(>,  it  was  incorporated  by  the  General  Assembly  of  Rhode 
Island,  with  the  name  of  the  Religious  Female  Society.  This  name 
was  changed  by  the  same  Assembly,  in  1H2G,  to  the  "  Osborn  So 
ciety."  The  association  still  survives  in  vigor,  after  an  existence  of 
a  hundred  and  ten  years,  and  still  holds  its  regular  meetings  in  the 
Osborn  house.  The  General  Assembly  of  Rhode  Island  is,  perhaps, 
tlu«  first  legislature  in  our  land,  which  gave  corporate  powers  to  a 
distinctive  "  Praying  Circle." 

The  society  was  formed  under  the  auspices  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Osborn, 
a  niece  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  John  Guyse,  of  London.  She  re 
mained  the  first  president  of  the  society  more  than  fifty  years,  and 
had  its  meetings  at  her  home.  She  was  a  remarkable  woman. 
Rev.  Mr.  Prince,  of  JJoston,  seeing  one  of  her  letters  to  a  female 
friend,  in  1755,  was  so  much  interested  in  it,  that  he  secured  its 
publication  in  a  pamphlet  of  fourteen  or  fifteen  octavo  pages.  It 
passed  through  three  editions.  Long  before  Mr.  Hopkins  went  to 
Newport,  Madam  Osborn  had  been  esteemed  as  the  spiritual  ad 
viser  of  the  church.  She  retained  the  delicacy  of  a  woman,  and 
yet  was  consulted  by  whites  and  blacks,  as  if  she  had  been  a  min 
ister.  When  she  had  become  almost  blind,  her  conversations  on 
theology  were  instructive  to  her  pastor,  and  her  Christian  example 
was  his  great  joy.  Every  Saturday  afternoon,  as  long  as  her  de 
crepitude  allowed  the  privilege,  he  took  tea  at  her  house.  She,  as 
well  as  himself,  had  been  wont  to  spend  the  last  day  of  the  week  as 
the  "preparation  day  "  for  the  Sabbath;  and  at  the  close  of  her 
"  fasting  and  prayer,"  she  gave  the  results  of  her  solitary  medita 
tion  to  him  who  was  on  the  morrow  to  address  the  people  of  God. 
At  her  death,  she  left  more  than  fifty  volumes  in  manuscript,  the 
smallest  of  them  containing  nearly  a  hundred  pages,  the  larger  part 
of  them  containing  more  than  two  hundred ;  and  some,  more  than 
three  hundred.  Dr.  Hopkins  spent  a  year  in  perusing  this  mass  of 


100  MEMOIR. 

manuscript,  and  compiling  the  Biography  of  its  author.  This  Bi 
ography  has  hecn  useful  to  multitudes. 

In  the  same  house  with  Madam  Oshorn  Jived  Miss  Susanna  An 
thony,  her  most  intimate  friend  for  more  than  fifty  years.  Miss  An 
thony,  although  inferior  to  Madam  Oshorn  in  personal  attractions, 
was  equally  eminent  for  her  spirit  of  devotion.  Dr.  Putten  was 
informed  hy  a  mcmhcr  ot  the  Praying  Circle,  that  she  «'  would  con 
tinue  an  hour  in  prayer,  without  any  hesitance  or  repetition  ;  with 
out  any  thing  redundant  or  defective  ;  hut  [all  was]  appropriate  to 
what  appeared  to  ho  the  objects  of  prayer,  so  that  they  who  united 
with  her  were  sensihlc  of  no  weariness,  nor  even  conscious  of  the 
lapse  of  time."  Mr.  Hopkins  learned  from  the  same  source,  thai 
«<  it  was  impossible  to  convey  an  adequate  idea  of  the  copiousness, 
the  pertinence,  and  the  spirit  of  her  prayer."  *  She,  too,  was  an 
uncommon  theologian,  and  held  a  protracted  correspondence  with 
Dr.  T.evi  Hart,  of  Preston.  Connecticut,  Dr.  West,  of  Stockbridge, 
and  other  divines.  Her  Memoir  was  puhlished  hv  l)r.  Hopkins, 
soon  after  her  death,  and  an  ahridged  edition  of  it  has  hern  since 
puhlishcd  hv  Dr.  Pond,  of  liangor  Theological  Seminarv.  A  col 
lection  of  her  letters  was  also  prepared  for  tfie  press,  hy  the  widow 
of  Dr.  Hopkins. 

Of  Madam  Oshorn  and  Miss  Anthony,  their  hiographer  says  : 

"They  were,  in  my  judgment,  the  most  eminent  female  Christians  with 
whom  I  have  had  nay  acquaintance.  The  public,  tmtl  even  Christians,  who 
never  were  acquainted  with  them,  will  not,  by  reading  what  is  published  of 
them,  have  a  full  and  adequate  idea  of  their  excellent  character.  I  think  it  n 
^reat  happiness  to  have  been  intimately  acquainted  with  them  lor  ncur  thirty 
year,-;,  and  to  enjoy  their  friendship  and  prayers.  1  hope  that  what  is  published 
of  them  will  be  of  great  benefit  to  the  church,  not  only  in  this  generation,  but. 
in  ages  yet  to  come."  f 

There  were  nine  or  ten  other  Christians,  of  rare  excellence,  in 
that  Praying  Circle;  as  Miss  Mary,  sister  of  Susanna  Anthony; 
Mrs.  Mason,  Miss  Kli/uheth  West,  and  Miss  Mary  Donelly.  Of  the 
person  la.-t  named,  a  good  judge  of  character  has  said,  that  "  she 
continued  until  her  death,"  which  occurred  many  years  after  that  of 
Dr.  Hopkins,  "to  exert  an  inlluenec  over  the  church,  which  greatly 
abridged  the  lahors,  while  it  eminently  promoted  the  usefulness,  of 
her  pastor.  Assembling  the  sisterhood  around  her,  she  exerted  u 
controlling  influence  over  them;  it  was  an  influence,  too*  of  the  most 
lovely  kind,  —  an  influence  which  brought  them  around  her  by  the 
ties  of  all'eetion,  which  entered  into  all  their  sympathies,  and  which 
appeared  to  he  solely  exercised  in  doing  good.  Mi^ht  I  he  allowed 
to  bear  the  same  testimony  to  her  memory,  which  Dr.  Hopkins  bore 

*   Patten's   Reminiscences,  pp.  G3,  (">t.     8«-o  also  Frr«T\son'«   I,if<%  of  Hopkins,  pp. 

i>2,  y.i. 

f  Sketches  of  Hopk/ns's  Litb,  p.  10"). 


MEMOIR.  101 

to  the  memory  of  Miss  Anthony  and  Mrs.  Osborn,  I  would  say,  she 
was  in  person,  manners,  and  character,  the  most  interesting  and  ex 
cellent  female  Christian  with  whom  I  have  ever  been  acquainted."  * 
When  we  catch  a  glimpse  of  Hopkins,  walking  through  one  of 
the  green  and  narrow  lanes  of  Newport,  to  meet  these  pious  women 
ut  their  hour  of  prayer,  and  when  we  afterward  think  of  him  as  the 
champion  of  high  Calvinism,  as  putting  his  adversaries  to  the  rout 
by  his  stubborn  argument,  we  must  feel  that  he  had  n  great  char 
acter,  and  combined  in  an  unusual  degree  the  stout  antagonist  with 
the  meek  Christian. 


SECT.  XXX.    HOPKINS  MISREPRESENTED. 

"  He  was  thought  by  some,  who  had  but  a  slight  acquaintance  with  him,  to 
bo  stiff  and  unsociable  ;  but  this  was  owing  to  want  of  better  acquaintance." 
How  groundless  the  imputation  was,  "his  known  and  tried  friends  best  knew. 
They  always  found  him  easy  of  access,  kind,  and  condescending;  and  though 
not  talkative,  yet  afiable  and  free.  Among  such,  whose  candor  and  friendship 
he  had  experienced,  lie  threw  off  the  reserve,  and  was  most  open  and  free ; 
quite  patient  of  contradiction,  while  the  utmost  opposition  was  made  to  his 
sentiments  that  could  be  by  any  plausible  arguments  or  objections.  And,  in 
deed,  ho  was,  on  all  occasions,  quite  sociable  nnd  free  with  all  who  had  any 
special  business  with  him." 

So  writes  Hopkins  concerning  his  theological  instructor ;  t  and 
had  he  himself  net  been  equally  uncommunicative  to  strangers  who 
had  no  "special  business  with  him,"  he  would  have  avoided  some  of 
the  misrepresentations  which  he  actually  suffered. 

He  may  be  defended  against  the  charge  of  being  "stiff  and  un 
sociable,"  just  as  he  defended  his  theological  teacher.  Although  the 
home  of  Dr.  Clmnning  had  been  for  twenty  years  within  a  few  feet 
of  Hopkins's  parsonage,  although  for  a  short  time  he  had  sat  under 
Hopkins's  ministry  and  attended  his  catechetical  exercises,  yet 
('banning  says  : 

"  It  was  not  until  I  had  left  college  that  I  became  acquainted  with  him,  and 
a  short  intercourse  dispelled  all  the  fear  and  reserve  which  my  early  impres 
sions  had  left  in  my  mind.  His  conversation  was  free,  rather  abrupt,  blunt, 
and  often  facetious.  We  saw,  at  once,  that  he  had  lived  in  his  study,  and 
borrowed  very  little  from  the  manners  of  the  fashionable  world.  lie  took 
pleasure  in  talking  with  me  of  his  past  life,  his  controversies,  &c.,  and  I  regret 
that  I  took  no  notes,  and  did  not,  by  questions,  acquaint  myself  with  the  prog 
ress  of  his  mind."  { 

A  Baptist  clergyman  of  some  celebrity  writes : 

"  When  I  commenced  my  residence  in  Newport,  I  determined  not  to  go 
near  Dr.  Hopkins ;  for,  like  many  others,  I  had  formed  from  his  writings  an 
unfavorable  opinion  of  his  character.  But  I  was  obliged,  by  some  peculiar 

*  Fcrguson'f  Memoir  of  Hopkins,  pp,  94,  95. 

t  Memoir  of  Edward*,  Edinburgh  edition,  pp.  48,  49. 

I  Letter  of  February  14,  1840. 


102  MEMOIR. 

circumstances,  to  alter  my  determination ;  and  before  I  had  been  in  his  pres 
ence  ono  h;ilf  hour,  I  was  completely  disarmed  of  my  aversion,  and  won  over 
to  the  love  of  him.     And  now,  in  my  old  age,  I  way  that  if  I  have  ever  been 
I  instrumental  in  doing  nny  thing  for  the  Redeemer,  I  owe  it  all,  under  (Jod,  to 
ij  my  intercourse,  which  has  been  long  and  frequent,  with  Dr.  Hopkins."  * 

'  There  were  many  persons,  however,  who  did  not  penetrate 
through  the  seeming  reserve  of  Mr.  Hopkins':)  manners,  and  who, 
therefore,  never  appreciated  his  real  worth,  lie  hail  nn  original 
character,  and  this  is  always  misunderstood.  The  following  inci 
dents,  which  occurred  at  Newport,  will  illustrate  the  general  style  in 
which  his  person,  as  well  as  his  theology,  has  been  treated.  It  is 
the  less  surprising  that  lie  should  have  been  thus  misrepresented  in 
ih<;  State  of  Rhode  Island  ;  for  that  worthy  State  was,  in  the  days 
of  Hopkins,  more  famous  lor  its  enchanting  scenery,  and  for  the  gen 
erous  enterprise  of  its  eiti/.cns,  than  for  their  attachment  to  the  strict 
principles  of  Calvinism,  or  to  any  kind  of  wr/* //>// //x/Ys  in  theology. 

"  A  gentleman  of  respectability  said  to  the  writer  [Dr.  Patten],  Have  you 
Iri'rd  tJie  report  of  the  unfeeling,  the  almost,  inhuman  conduct  of  the  old 
Doctor?  I  replied,  I  .hud  uot ;  what. is  it?  He  answered,  I  do  not  know 
tint  it  is  true,  but  it  is  reported  that  there  was  a  child  <>f  a  widow  near  lii-< 
h'MHc,  nud  whom  he  might  have  occasionally  seen  in  his  house  of  worship. 
Tiiis  child  was  taken  sick,  and  on  hearing  of  jt.  he  went,  to  see  her.  He  found 
her  mother  in  the  sitting-room,  and  inquired  if  her  daughter  wjis  sick.  On 
being  informed  that  she  was,  he  said  lie  wished  to  see  her.  Tho  mother, 
from  his  known  severity,  feared  the  interview  might  he  injurious  to  her  dr.ur!:- 
t'T,  slid  wishing  to  evade  his  design,  told  him  that  her  daughter  was  on  t!:'1 
hed,  mid  attempting  to  compose  herself  to  sleep,  and  hoped  he  would  call 
Koine  oilier  time.  Hut  he  observed,  that  he  was  an  old  man,  and  it  was  diffi 
cult  tor  him  to  leave  home,  and  that  ho  must  see  her  then.  On  this,  arising. 
a;',  though  he  would  find  her,  he  inquired,  'Where  is  she?'  ller  distressed 
mother,  under  this  constraint,  requested  him  to  follow  her,  and  introduced  him 
to  the  sick  chamber.  The  child,  on  seeing  him,  manifested  alarm.  He  ap 
proached  her  bed,  and  s.iid,  l  You  are  wick,  child.'  '  Yes,  sir,  I  have  a  violent 
headache.'  '  Hut.  do  you  not  know  that  YOU  may  'lie  by  this  sickness  ?'  *  Yes, 
sir,  !  know  1  m:iy.'  'And  do  you  know  that  if  you  do  not  repent,  and  be 
lieve  in  Christ  before  you  die,  you, will  go  to  hell?'  The  alarm,  it  was  sup 
posed,  increased  the  disease  of  the  child,  and  in  three  or  four  days  sh-i 
expired.  This  was  the  report.  Wishing  to  know  the  circumstances  of  the 
case,  1  called  on  Dr.  II.  in  his  study,  and  the  following  conversation  en 
sued  :  '1  have  heard,  sir,  there  was  a  funeral  in  your  neighborhood  a  few 
d'iv:<  since.'  '  Yes,  a  child  was  buried  last  week  from  a  house  not  far  distant.' 
'Had  you  any  acquaintance  with  the  child?'  '  Yes,  she  lived  in  my  family 
sonic  time,  and  had  returned  home  but  a  few  days  before,  she  was  taken  sick.' 
'  Did  you  know  of  her  sickness  before  her  death?'  (  Yes  ;  when  her  ruse 
Neonc'd  fixed,  her  mother  came  with  a  request  from  the  child  that  I  would  go 
nud  see  her,  and  I  went  immediately.'  'In  what  state  did  you  find  her?' 
'Her  fever  was  high;  but,  to  my  surprise,  she  appeared  acquainted  with  her 
heart,  and  the  way  of  salvation,  and  was  calm  and  resigned  ;  and  I  think 
there  is  reason  to  hope  she  was  a  true  Christian.'  'Hut  was  there  nothing 
unpleasant  occurred  during  your  intercourse  with  her?'  'Not  any  thing; 
why  do  you  ask?'  I  then  related  the  rumor.  lie  appeared  struck  with  unu- 
mial  surprise  and  grief,  and  exclaimed,  '(),  the  blindness  and  wickedness  of 

*  Fcrguuou's  Memoir,  p.  134. 


MEMOIR.  103 

some  men ! '  Tho  only  ground  of  tho  slanderous  report  ww,  that  a  child  in 
tho  neighborhood  had  a  fever,  that  Dr.  II.  visited  her,  and  in  a  few  days 
who  died. 

"  Another  instance:  the  writer  was  in  tho  house  of  a  woman  who  belonged 
to  a  dill'crent  denomination  of  Chri.-itians ;  but  being  situated  near  Dr.  11. 'a 
moeting-housc,  I  inquired  if  she  hud  ever  gone  into  it  to  hear  him  preach. 
Shu  replied,  *  No,  1  hope  not;  a  mun  of  Much  doctrine  I  never  wish  to  hear.' 
'  What,  doctrine  ? '  I  inquired.  *  Why,  that  liicrc  tire  infants  in  hell  not  a  span 
lanx."1  k  You  never  heard  him  |>rearh  it ;  did  you  ever  find  it  in  any  ot  his 
writings  ? '  '  No,  I  never  read  any  of  his  writings,  nor  would  allow  one  of  his 
books  to  be  in  my  house.'  I  then  assured  the  woman  that  she  had  been  mis 
informed.  What  she  stnted  had  been  the  common  calumny,  tor  several  ceh- 
tnritM,  ii gainst  the  ministers  of  the  gospel  who  had  preached  the  natural 
depravity  of  mankind.  The  doctrine  of  Dr.  II.  WHS  nothing  more.  Ho  i'ar 
from  believing  tlmt  'there  were  infants  in  hell  not  a  HJMU  long,'  I  had  heard 
him  repeatedly  declare  that  he  did  not  believe  there  was  one  infant  in  hell. 
Though  it  was  difficult  for  her  to  resign  her  prejudice,  yet,  confiding  in  my 
venicit.y,  "he  did  not  persist  in  vindicating  it."  * 

One  cold  morning,  Dr.  Hopkins  went  out  earlv,  "to  purchase  a  piece  of 
flannel,  and  culled  at.  the  first  store  in  his  way,  which  was  kept  by  a  young 
gentleiiKin  of  undoubted  integrity,  and  of  a  Very  respectable  family.  Ho 
measured  the  Manuel  mid  Jjirew  it  on  the  counter,  and  while  he  was  making 
change  ot'  tlr;  money  for  pay,  Dr.  II.  cursorily  said,  Ms  that  a  yard?'  Tho 
young  iinn  resentfully  replied,  *  Ves,  sir;  I  urn  not  such  a  rogue  us  to  koop  u 
short,  yardstick.'  Dr.  H.  added,  '1  had  not  the  least  suspicion  of  it.1  Hut  think 
ing  he  placed  too  much  confidence  in  himself,  ho  rejoined,  '  Though  you  are 
now  honest,  you  are  not  out.  of  danger  of  fulling,  tor  many  young  men  who 
\\ere  as  confident  in  their  integrity  as  yourself,  have  committed  greater  crimes, 
and  been  brought  to  the  gallows.'  Tho  next  day,  his  deacon  called  on  him, 
nnd  informed  him  thnt  a  rumor  was  circulating  in  town  which  excited  great 
indignation  against  him,  and  which  lie  knew  could  not  be  true,  but  requested 
that  he  would  sta!i>  the  facts,  that  he  might  refute  it.'  Dr.  II.  inquired,  '  What 
rumor  ?'  The  deacon  replied,  klt  is  said  that  you  went  into  the  store  of  Mich 
a  young  gentleman,  and  requested  a  yard  of  flannel;  that  when  lie  had  meas 
ured  it  for  you,  you  denied  it  to  be  just  measure,  charged  him  with  keeping 
a  false  yardstick,  and  said  he  was  in  danger  of  coming  to  the  gallows.'  On 
this,  tho  doctor  observed,  kl  believe,  deacon,  I  had  better  give  you  no  infor 
mation  on  th')  subject ;  for  th"re  was  no  one  iu  the  store  with  the  young  gen 
tleman  and  myself,  nnd  tin-re  is  no  witness  of  the  transaction.  The  rumor 
must  have  originated  with  the  young  gentleman  ;  nnd  were  I  to  say  it  is  false, 
it  would  be  charging  him  with  lying,  which  would  be  a  real  censure  on  his 
character  that  I  am  not  able  to  prove.  If  true,  he  might,  to  vindicate  his  own 
representation,  s-iv  [that]  thy  old  man  is  ashamed  of  what  he  said,  tuul,  to  save 
his  reputation,  prevaricates.  Thus,  bad  as  the  iitl'air now  is,  it  would  be  worse. 
What  is  your  opinion,  deacon?'  The  deacon  replied,  'I  think  with  you,  sir, 
that  the  subject  had  bettor  bo  left  to  take  its  own  course.'  "f 

*    Patten's  Ivemini-rme.'i,  J>|».  ICI-li"). 

f  I'ailcn's  KrmiiiiMTiHTs,  pp.  117-11!).  Tills  incident  illustrates  llio  consistency  of 
Uopkin.'s  conduct  \\iili  his  principles.  It  is  in  striking  coincidence  with  his  remarks  on 
die  "  Discipline  of  the  Church,"  in  liis  System,  vol.  ii.  pp.  171-1 1!2,  particularly  p.  17!). 
All  accounts  agree  dial  Hopkins  described  himself  when  ho  speaks  of  President  Ed 
wards,  as  "  taking  great  care  never  to  use  [his  tongue]  in  any  way  that  might  provo 
mischievous  to  any  ;  never  to  sin  tcitk  his  tongue,  nor  to  improve  [?]  it  in  idle,  trivial, 
ami  impertinent  talk,  which  generally  makes  up  a  great  part  of  the  conversation  of 
those  who  are  full  of  words  in  all  companies.  He-was  sensible  that  in  the  multitude 
of  words  there  wuutelli  not  sin,  ami  therefore  refrained  his  lips,  and  habituated  himself 
to  think  before  lie  spoke,  and  lo  purpose  some  good  end  even  in  all  his  words  j  which 
led  him  to  be,  above  many  others,  agreeable  to  St.  James's  advice,  tlout  to  ipea*." 
Memoir  of  Edwards,  Edinburgh  edition,  p.  48. 


104  MEMOIR. 

Dr.  Charming  describes  an  interview,  at  the  Redwood  Library, 
between  Hopkins  nnd  "  a  singular  man  named  Stuart*  or  Stewart, 
sometimes  called  •  the  walking  philosopher,'  in  consequence  of  his 
having  travelled  over  a  good  part  of  the  world  on  foot.  Stuart  was 
a  man  of  much  kindness,  too  kind  to  lay  his  weight  'on  a  horse, 
or  to  eat  animal  food,  or  even  to  kill  a  mosquito  when  sucking  his 
blood ;  but  he  was  an  atheist,  and  let  drop  some  expression  of  his 
opinions  before  Dr.  Hopkins.  The  Doctor  was  moved  to  indigna 
tion,  and  cried  out,  'You  fool  !  were  it  not  for  God,  you  could  not 
move  a  stop  from  where  you  stand.'  Stuart  replied  calmly  to  Dr. 
Patten,  who  was  present,  'The  old  gentleman  seems  disturbed.'"* 
Other  persons  acquainted  with  the  scene  here  noticed,  deny,  and 
Dr.  Clmnning  does  not  affirm,  that  this  stern  reprover  exhibited  any 
unjustifiable  passion  in  pronouncing  him  to  be  a  fool  who  "  said  in 
his  heart,  There  is  no  Ciod."  The  reproof  did  not  affect  the  friendly 
relations  which  had  long  subsisted  between  the  divine  and  the  eccen 
tric  author.  It  was  understood  to  be  nothing  more  than  "  plain 
speech."  Infidels  were  wont  to  encounter  the  stalwart  theologian, 
and  they  learned  not  to  treasure  up  ill  will  in  memory  of  his  homely 
thrusts.  Strangers,  however,  often  supposed  his  pertinence  to  bo 
impertinence,  and  mistook  the  decisive  tones  of  his  voice  for  signs 
of  unwarranted  passion. 

They  also  misunderstood  his  inquinitivcnfss  of  mind.  It  must  be 
allowed  that  he  was  excessively  fond  of  asking  questions  —  a  fault 
which  a  native  of  New  England  should  be  slow  to  condemn.  He 
was  one  of  those  who  "  through  desire  separate  themselves,  and  seek 
to  intermeddle  with  all  knowledge."  It  was  natural  that  the  very 
trait  which  fitted  him  to  be  a  theologian,  should  develop  itself  somc- 
ti inert  in  too  interrogative  a  style  of  conversation.  In  the  eighth 
edition  of  the  Autobiography  of  Rev.  John  Murray,  the  pioneer  of 
Universalism  in  our  land,  is  a  vivid  narrative  of  an  interview  between 
himself  and  our  inquisitive  divine.  The  picture  is  drawn  by  an 
opposcr  of  Hopkins,  and  we  may  presume  that  it  would  have  been 
diilerently  colored,  "  if  the  lion  had  been  the  painter."  Shaded  as 
it  is,  however,  it  illustrates  tho  eager  curiosity  and  the  decisive  tones 
of  iho  Newport  minister,  as  well  as  the  authority  which  once  be 
longed  to  the  "  New  England  bishops."  Explained  as  it  ought  to 
be,  it  does  not  warrant  the  belief,  which  Mr.  Murray  seems  to  have 
entertained,  that  Hopkins  was  irritated.t  The  two  preachers  were 
riding  together  on  horseback,  in  tho  autumn  of  1773,  a  distance  of 
about  forty  miles,  from  Preston,  in  Connecticut,  to  Newport,  in 
Rhode  Island.  Mr.  Murrny  says  :  f 

•  Letter  of  February  It,  1810. 
t  Sec  p.  63  of  this  Memoir. 

)  Life,  pp.   1GD-1T7.     For   iho   nrvko  of  convcmcix-f,  Mr.  Hopkins'i  part  of  th« 
'lialo^uc  ii  here  printed  iu  italics. 


MEMOIR.  105 

"In  tho  courno  of  tho  day,  Mr.  II.  thus  questioned  me:  '  Well,  »tr,  I  suppose 
you  will  preach  in  Newport.'  —  Very  likely,  sir.  — '  You  have  friends  there,  I 
presume.''  —  No,  air,  I  do  not  know  a  single  soul.  — '  You  have  letters  ofrecom- 
tntndalion,  perhaps.'  —  Not  a  lino,  sir.  —  *  Where,  Mr n,  do  you  intend  to  #o,  and 
what  do  you  intend  to  do  $ '  —  I  havo  laid  no  plans,  nir.  — '  1  promise  you,  you 
sh'ili  not  preach  in  my  meeting.' —  I  should  bo  very  much  surprised,  if  I  did, 
sir. — ',/7/trf  I  suppose  you  think  you  are  culled  of  God  to  go  to  Newport.' —  I 
tliink  it  is  nut  unlikely,  sir. — '  /  believe  you  will  find  yourself  mistaken?  —  It 
is  possible.  — '  Suppose  you  should  find  no  place,  (o  pre.ach  in,  iclutt  would  you 
tin  then'!'  —  Devote  myself  to  private  conversation.  — '  Hut  suppose  you  coit'.d 
find  no  one.  to  converse  icith.' —  Then  I  would  turn  about  und  come  back 
ugain.  — '  Hut  what  would  you  tliink  of  your  faith  ?- '  —  Call  it  fancy.  Hut,  ot 
present,  I  think  I  shall  preach  the  gospel  in  Newport;  and,  although  I  am  fin 
utter  stranger,  knowing  no  one,  nor  known  by  any  one,  yet  I  expect,  before  I 
le'ivo  the  place,  to  have  many  friends.  —  '•'/.'/>  thcxe  are  fine  fancies,  indeed."1  — 
II  id  you  not  bettor  suspend  your  decision  until  you  witness  the  result?  Will 
it  not  then  be  full  time  to  determine  whether  it  be  faith  or  fancy?  —  l  If  it 
should  not  be  an  I  predict,  Islutuld  not  be  ashamed  to  own  my  error ;  if  it  should, 
you  ought  to  blush  for  yuiir  unwarrantable  confidence.  Hut  as  it  is  not  impos 
sible,  you  /M'."/  preach  in  that  city,  <tnJ  thnt  some  of  my  people,  mm/  be  among  (he. 
numbrr  of  tjovr  hearers,  I  Hiink  I  h'tvc  a  right  to  question  you. — If  God  will 
give  me  leave  to  preach  to  his  people,  I  urn  content.  — '  H  hat  do  you  mean  by 
Ih'il,  sir .'' — Your  observation  brought  to  my  mind,  what,  on  a  certain  occa 
sion,  a  very  distinguished  servant  of  God  said  to  his  master,  when  he  was  told 
to  go  down  and  see  w  hi  it  his  people  were  doing:  4  O  Lord,  they  are  not  my 
people,  they  ure  thy  people.'  However,  Moses  was-  not  settled  on  your  plan. 
— 4  //>•//,  sir,  I  look  v non  my  people  to  be  Goa"s  people.'  —  You  are  perfectly 
right,  sir;  so  indeed  they  are;  and  if  I  speak  to  them  at  all,  I  shall  speak  to 
them  in  that  character.  — '  Well,  sir,  as  you  call  yourself  a  preacher  of  the  gos 
pel,  and  may,  as  I  have  said,  preach  to  my  people,  it  is  proper  I  should  know 
what  ideas  you  have  of  gospel.  Tell  me,  sir,  wluit  is  gospel'.1'  —  I  am  happy 
in  being  abfe  to  give  you  a  direct  answer.  The  gospel,  sir,  Is  a  solemn  dec 
laration,  given  upon  the  oath  of  Jehovah,  that  in  the  Seed  of  Abraham  all  tho 
nations  should  be  ble.sscd.  —  '/*  that  all  you  know  of  gospel?' — Would  it  not, 
my  good  sir,  require-  a  very  long  time  to  inform  mankind  u7;o  and  what  that 
Seed  is,  liosv  iiud  in  what  manner  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  arc  and  slutll  bt 
Itfwsrd  therein;  and  what  blessings  they  are  blessed  with,  in  Clu'inl  Jesus')- 
The  apostle  Paul,  although  he  labored  more  abundantly  than  his  brethren, 
found  this  vast,  this  important  subject,  abundantly  sufficient  for  his  whole  life  ; 
au;l  th«»se  who  are  blessed  in  that.  Seed  will  find  the  contemplation  of'that 
blessedness  which  they  shall  bo  blessed  with,  in  him,  sulHcient  to  furnish  a 
song,  whii-h,  al'.hough  never  ending,  will  be  ever  new.  — '  If  such  be  your 
riet"H,  ynt  know  nothing  at  all  of  gospel.' — You  could  not  so  absolutely  deter 
mine  this  matter,  if  you  yourself  were  not  acquainted  with  the  meaning  of  tho 
t-Tia  g.npel.  Tell  "me  then,  sir,  if  you  please,  what  is  gospel?  — '  ll'hy,  sir, 
/.'if*  i*goxtnl:  Ifr  Unit  b;!!n'dh  shn'.l  be  saved,  and  he  that  bdiei'dh  not  shall  be 
d,tiniie /.'  —  Iirlenl,  sir,  I  had  thought  tho  literal,  simple  meaning  of  the  term 
gospel,  was  glud  I i ding*.  Which  part  of  the  passage  you  have  cited  is  gos- 
[):••!,  that  wh'ieh  announces  s'i'valion,  or  that  which  announces  damnation.1  — 
1  !('•:!?,  I  hi- it,  if  you  plra.se,  this  is  gospel:  He  th(tf  believeth  shall  be  sarcil.'  —  lie- 
lin-.Mli  what,  -:ir?  — '7Vi/i/.'— -  Wli.it,  sir?  —  '  That,  I  tell  »/«».'  —  What,  sir? 
__»7Vrr.',  /  Iclt  tftui :  He  thnt  bditvdh  shall  be  saved.'  —  Jielicveth  what,  sir? 
Wlrit  is  he  to  believe? — '  H'hy,  that,  1  tell  )/M/.' —  I  wished,  sir,  to  treat  this 
investigation  seriously  :  but,  as  you  seem  to  be  disposed  to  be  rather  ludicrous, 
we  will,  if  you  please*  dismiss  the  subject.  —  k.Vo,  sir,  I  do  not  mean  to  be  ludi- 
m>iw  ;  /  a;n  ivn/  siriuns.''  —  Well,  sir,  if  80,  then  I  beg  leave  to  ask,  Wlmt  is 
it  I  n  m  to  btHrve,  the  bi'Ucv'.ng  of  ichich  will  save  me  !  — '  That  Jesus  Christ 
made  it  possible  for  sinners  to  be  saved.'  — \\y  what  means? — ' Hy  believing.' 
—  Believing  what  ?  — '  That:  —What  ?  — '  That  Jesus  Christ  made  it  possible 


106  MEMOIR. 

for  sinners  to  be  saved?  —  By  what  means  is  it  possible  that  sinners  may  bo 
saved  ?  — '  By  believing,  I  tell  you.' —  But  tho  devils  believe  I  will  their  believ 
ing  save  them?  —  'No,  sir.' —  Suppose  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  made  it 
possible  to  save  sinners ;  will  that  safe  me  ?  —  *  Ab,  «V.*  — Then,  sir,  let  me 
ask,  What  arn  I  to  believe,  the  believing'  of  which  will  save  me  ?  — '  Why,  *tr, 
voit  must  believe  the  gospel,  that  Jesus  made  it  possible  for  sinners  to  be.  saved.''  — 
But  by  what  menus  >—«#//  believing.''  —  Believing  what?  —  'That,  I  tell 
you.1 " 

After  some  comments,  Mr.  Murray  adds,  (and,  According  to  his 
own  version,  ho  made  far  more  oilbnsivo  remarkr  than  ho  received, 
and  was  treated  with  peculiar  fairness  and  moderation  by  his  opposer :) 

"  Finding  tho  temper  of  Mr.  II.  rise  higher  and  higher,  every  time  I  repeat 
ed  my  question,  I  endeavored  to  bring  tho  matter  to  a  conclusion,  by  observ 
ing  that  I  was  astonished' to  find  a  master  in  Israel,  and  a  writer  too,  either 
not  able,  or  not  willing  to  answer  a  simple  question,  vi/..,  what  am  I  to  believe 
is  the  foundation  of  my  salvation  ?  what  am  I  to  believe  procures  my  justifica 
tion  in  tho  sight  of  dod?  —  l*'lnd  I  am  astonished  at  your  btaxphtmy. —  This 
is  in  character,  sir;  men  of  your  description  were  long  since  fund  of  fixing 
this  charge  on  both  tho  Master  and  his  witnesses;  but  remember,  sir,  if  I 
have  blasphemed,  it  is  only  Mr.  II.  whom  I  have  blasphemed.  — '  Well,  sir,  / 
believe  I  have  gone  too  far;  I  u'ill,  if  you  please,  take  back  thr,  charge,' ~—  With 
all  my  heart-,  sir.  — '/(/»  not  doubt  you  may  be  admired  in  Newport  aicfiolc. 
fortnight.1 —  That,  no  doubt,  will  be  fourteen  days  longer  than  you  would 
wish.  Arriving  in  sight  of  Newport,  Mr.  11.  said:  '  There,  sir,  is  my  meeting 
house  ;  (it  a  little  distance  from  thence  is  my  dwelling-house,  and  my  friends  are 
multiplied?  —  Well,  sir,  I  have  no-  home,  mcoting-nouso,  nor  friend,  in  New 
port.  Yet,  I  repeat,  before  I  leave  Unit  city,  I  expect  to  have  more  than  one 
home,  and  many  friends.  —  *  If'cll,  now  I  think  ofit,.thtre  is  one  man  who  has  a 
little  place,  in  u'hich,  possibly,  you  may  get  leave  to  preach;  I  icill  direct  yon  to  a 
man  tcho  has  some  acquaintance  with,  /urn.'  —  I  will  thank  you,  sir,  to  inform  mo 
where  my  horse  may  be  taken  rare  of;  for  myself,  I  have  little  concern.  —  '  / 
promise  you  horse  keeping  is  yen/  high  in  Ncirport.1 —  Tlmtr  sir,  i.s  very  sad 
tidings  to  me,  for  I  promise  you  my  finances  are  very  low.  Some  very  bitter 
speeches  were  made  ;  and  I  regretted  that  I  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  have 
taken  the  journey  with  Mr.  II.  Your  people,  said  I,  are  leavened  with  the 
leaven  of  tlie  Pharisees,  and  you  seem  to  be  leavened  with  the  leaven  of 
Ilenxl. — '  ll'tint  do  you  mean  by  the  leave  n  of  lie  rod .' '  —  I  mean  the  nature 
of  Ilerod.  — '  I  loir  does  thtil  apply'!'  —  Some  persons  urged  our  Master  to  lly, 
in  consequence  of  Herod's  seeking  his  life,  (io,  said  he,  tell  that  for  I  nvrk 
in-day  and  to-morrow,  &c.,  &c.  Our  Master  denominated  Herod  a  fox,  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  an  idea  of  his  nature.  What  is  a  fox?  a  creature  that, 
lives  upon  tho  spoil ;  but  ho  is  dependent  upon  the  secrecy  of  the  night,  and, 
we  are  told,  in  order  tho  more  enYcUmliy  to  cover  his  designs,  ho  sometimes 
imitates  tho  watch-dog,  thus  endeavoring  to  make  it  appear  ho  is  defending 
the  property  of  tho  husbandman,  while,  under  the  giiise  of  watchful  care  for 
others,  ho  is  covertly  acting  for  himself,  till  the  morning  dawns,  till  the  light 
appears,  and  then  his  labor  ends.  This  is  tho  leaven  of  Ilerod,  and  it  was  of 
the  nature  of  this  insidious  animal,  that  our  Lord  cautioned  his  disciples  to 
beware.  — '  If'ell,  there  is  something  ingenious  in  that,  1  confess.1  —  We  reached 
tho  ferry  a  little  before  sunset,  and  on  landing  at  Newport,  '  There1  said  Mr. 
II.,  pointing  to  a  small  shop,  l  if  you  icill  call  on  that  man,  he  icill  give  you 
direction.1  I  walked  on,  stopped  at  tho  door,  and  holding  tho  bridle  in  my 
hand,"  etc.,  etc. 

That  must  certainly  be  a  commendable  character,  against  which 
its  enemies  can  say  nothing  worse,  than  the  father  of  New  England 


MEMOIR.  107 

UniversaJism  has  said  against  one  of  the  fathers  of  Hopkinsianism. 
Mr.  Murray  erred,  in  supposing  his  antagonist's  want  of  amenity  in 
manners  to  bo  an  irascibility  of  temper.  Amid  all  our  commenda 
tion  of  Hopkins,  wo  cannot  say  that  he  sacrificed  to  the  Graces. 
His  rugged  work  as  a  controversialist,  did  not  make  him  a  nice 
observer  of  conventional  etiquette.  Dr.  West  says,  that  he  was 
never  overbearing  in  an  argument ;  *  his  style,  however,  made  him 
appear  so,  at  times,  to  strangers.  Ho  understood  "  humun  nature  " 
far  more  thoroughly  than  "  human  life,"  and  thus  ho  often  stirred  up 
prejudices  which  n  more  u  fashionable "  man  would  have  avoided. 
Ho  was  not  made  for  smooth  waters.  Dr.  ('banning  says,  that  •*  he 
wanted  toleration  toward  tho.se  who  rejected  his  views ;  "  t  but  that 
he  was  more  intolerant  than  other  Calvinistic  divines,  Chanuing  did 
not  suppose,  and  what  Channing  would  (tall  intolerance  they  would 
call  a  needful  reverence  for  the  truth.  Dr.  Ashbel  Green  says,  that 
Hopkins  "is  certainly  a  man  of  much  more  candor,  liberality,  and 
Catholicism  than  most  of  his  disciples; "J  but  his  disciples  have 
been  us  liberal  and  catholic  as  other  Cnlvinists.  A  gentleman  of 
literary  distinction,  who  knew  Hopkins  well,  and  dissents  from  tho 
Hopkinsian  creed,  has  the  magnanimity  to  write  :  "  lie  seems  to  inc, 
in  looking  back  on  that  early  day,  to  have  been  the  most  individual, 
identical  man  with  whom  I  have  qver  been  acquainted,  or  rather 
[whom]  I  have  ever  seen.  He  said  what  he  thought,  and  with  u 
clearness,  a  distinctness  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  occasion.  I 
do  believe  that  » disinterested  benevolence,'  tho  underlying  principle 
of  his  stern  metaphysics  and  of  his  apparently  totally  impracticable 
theology,  was  as  real  and  as  operative  with  him,  us  is  the  opposite 
principle  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  other  men." 


SECT.  XXXI.    LETTISH  TO  DR.  STILKS. 

In  the  rich  Literary  Diary  which  President  Stiles  kept  at  Yale 
College,  he  has  inserted  the  following  record,  which  vividly  illustrates 
the  character  of  his  times : 

"New  Ilnvcn,  17H1.  Received  a  letter  from  Rov.  Mr.  Hopkins,  dated 
Newport,  January  2<5;  wherein  ho  nays,  speaking  of  the  state  of  religion 
there,  '  Every  thing  is  durk  and  discouraging  here,  with  respect  to  tho  all- 
important  interest.  The  people  in  general  arc  going  from  bad  to  worse,  and 
I  now  see  no  way  for  my  continuing  here  longer  than  till  spring.  Neither 
your  people  nor  mine  are  disposed  to  attend  public  worship  constantly,  except 
ft  few  individuals.  There  is  but  little  encouragement  to  preach,  where  there 
is  so  little  attention,  and  so  very  little  concern  about  any  thing  invisible.  I 
expected  yon,  sir,  would  bo  willing  to  perform  tho  part  of  a  professor  of 
divinity  on  the  decease  of  Dr.  Daggett,  till  I  was  tola  the  contrary  by  Mr. 
Fitch.  I  wish  that  place  may  bo  well  supplied.  But  where  is  tho  man  to  bo 

•  Sec  p.  G3  of  this  Memoir.  t  Works,  vol.  iv.  p.  342. 

$  Life  of  Dr.  Green,  p.  210. 


108  MEMOIR. 

found?  —  the  mnn  who  will  accept,  and  W!K>  will  bo  accepted.  If  I  knew 
of  one  who  probably  would  be  acceptable  to  tho  college,  and  might  be 
willing  to  make  a  trial  half  a  year  or  a  year,  he  must  not  be  rtientioncd,  if  ho 
be  a  New  Divinity  man.' 

"  Remark  1.  Very  lamentable  is  the  state  of  religion  at  Newport,  and 
particularly  that  they,  will  not  attend  public  worship.  But, 

"2.  One  occasion  of  this  negligence  is  brother  Hopkins'*  New  Divinity, 
lie  has  preached  his  own  congregation  almost  away,  or  into  an  indifference. 
He  has  fitly  or  sixty,  or  more,  families  of  his  own  congregation  in  town,  and 
might  easily  command  a  pood  assembly,  if  his  preaching  wan  as  acceptable 
as  his  moral  character.  My  congregation,  gathered  in  'town,  are  seventy  or 
eighty  families,  and  would  gladly  attend  such  preaching  as  Dr.  Owen's,  or 
Dr.  Doddridgo's,  or  preachers  of  far  lower  abilities,  pmvi'lecl  they  were 
ejimdcm  farina-  with  tho  first  Puritan  divines. 

44  «J.  Although  New  Divinity  preachers  collect  some  large  congregations 
in  some  parts,  as  Taunton,  Middleboro',  Abington,  &c.,  yet  their  preaching1  is 
acceptable,  not  for  (fir  uric  (cnrls,  hut  for  its  containing  the  gand  old  doctrine* 
ofgrntf)  on  which  the  new  gentlemen  are  vrn/  sound,  and  clear.  nndfiiH.  In 
other  parts,  where  the  neighboring  ministers  generally  preach  the  old  Cal- 
vinistic  doctrines,  the  people  begin  to  be  tired  with  the  incessant  inculcation 
of  the  unintelligible,  and  shocking  new  points  ;  especially,  that  an  uncon 
verted  man  had  better  be  killing  his  father  and  mother  than  praying  Tor 
converting  grace;  that  true  repentance  implies  a  willingness  and  desire  to 
be  damned  lor  the  glory  of  (io<! ;  that  wo  are  to  give  (Jod  thanks  that  lie  has 
caused  Adam  to  sin,  and  involve  all  his  posterity  in  total  depravity,  tint 
Judas  betrayed  and  the  Jews  crucified  Christ,  &c.,  &.c.';  that  the  children  of 
none  but  communicants  are  to  be  bapti/ed,  &c.;  that,  the  churches  and 
ministers  are  so  corrupt  and  Laodicean,  and  have  so  intermixed  with  the 
world,  that  the  New  Divinity  churches  und  ministers  cannot  hold  communion, 
but  must  and  do  recede  and  sequester  themselves  from  them." 

''•1.  I  do  not  perceive  on  whom  Mr.  Hopkins  has  his  eye  for  a  professor 
of  divinity.  Hut  Mr.  Fitch  tells  me,  Mr.  Hopkins  spake  of  Mr.  West,  of 
Stockbridge,  as  a  great  scholar,  a  great  divine,  and  excellently  qualified  for 
such  an  office;  but  he  supposed  the  corporation  would  not  choose  him.  He 
also  mentioned  Mr.  Hart,  of  Preston,  as  a  great  divine.  I  rather  think  he 
supposed  Mr.  West  would  be  acceptable  to  the  scholars.  Hut  when  it  is  said, 
jhe  would  be  willing  to  preach  in  college  a  year  on  trial.  I  should  rather  think 
be,  meant  some  one  else  besides  Mr.  West,  or  Mr.  Hart." 

These   remarks  of  Dr.  Stiles  suggest  u  few  comments. 

1.  He    manifests   his   usual    fairness    in    confessing   that  the  New 
School  of  divines  were   "  VKHY  SOUND,  AND  CLKAH,  AND  FULL,"  on 
the  "  good  old  doctrines  of  grace"      This  is  the  testimony  of  one  who 
had   been   intimate  with   the,    leader   of  that   school.      He  was   better 
acquainted  witb  their  principles  than  an;  the  men  who,  in  some  parts 
of  our    country,   accuse    that   same  school  of  denying  the   »»  funda 
mental  doctrines  of  the  gospel." 

2.  lie  implies,  what  is  well  known  from  other  sources,  that  •  tho 
New  Divinity  men  aimed  to  be  more  strict  in  Christian  discipline  than 
the  Old.      lie   evidently  revered — how  could  be  avoid  doing  so  ?  — 
the  religious  spirit  of  Hopkins,  who  was,  at  that  time,  the  accredited 
chief  of  the  New  Divinity  men.     All  who  kncir  Hopkins  acknowledged 
bis  personal  excellence. 

3.  The  two  Hopkinsian  doctrines,  that  men  have  natural  power 
to  do  whatever  they  are  justly  required  to  do,  und  that  all  moral 


MEMOIR.  109 

character  consists  in  the  free  choices  of  men,  arc  not  considered  by 
Dr.  Stiles  as  worthy  of  mention,  when  compared  with  the  other 
Hopkinsinn  principles,  that  the  children  of  communicants  only  arc 
to  be  bnpti/.ed,  and  that  a  creature  ought  to  sacrifice  all  his  interests 
when  the  glory  of  the  Creator  demands  the  sacrifice.  During  the 
lifetime  of  Hopkins,  he  found  some,  but  not  many,  unreasonable 
enough  to  gainsay  those  two  axioms  relating  to  man's  power  to  do 
what  is  required  of  him,  and  to  the  active  nature  of  all  win. 

4.  Dr.  S.  describes  Hopkinsianism  as  unpopular,  and  tl^refore  as 
fit  to  be  condemned.  Many  Calvinists  have  done  the  same,  and  thus 
added  force  to  the  Anniniim  objection,  that  Calvinism  is  not  attrac 
tive  to  the  human  heart,  and  is,  therefore,  false. 

f>.  The  fact  that  Hopkins  did  not  interest  the  fifty  or  sixty  fami 
lies  of  his  parish  iu  the  support  of  the  gospel,  is  ascribed  by  Dr. 
Stiles  to  the  New  Divinity,  us  a  main  cause  ;  and  yet  the  seventy  or 
eighty  families  of  Dr.  Stiles's  parish  did  not  even  go  so  far  as  to 
ordain  a  minister,  until  ten  years  after  he  had  left  them.  If,  then, 
the  low  estate  of  the  First  Church  was  occasioned  by  the  "  strong 
meat"  of  Hopkinsianism,  why  was  not  the  lower  estate  of  the  Sec 
ond  Church  occasioned  by  the  "sincere  milk"  of  moderate  Calvin 
ism,  which  Dr.  Stiles  had  imparted  for  the.  twenty  previous  years? 
The  depressed  condition  of  both  the  First  and  Second  Church  was 
owing  less  to  either  the  New  or  Old  Divinity,  than  to  the  revolution 
ary  war.? 

0.  While  Dr.  Stiles  refers  to  New  Divinity  as  thinning  the  audience 
of  Mr.  Hopkins,  he  concedes,  with  his  characteristic  frankness,  that 
other  preachers  of  that  same  divinity  collected  "  large  congregations."  , 
It  is  notorious  that  they  had  some  of  the  best  congregations  in  New 
England.  Does  not  this  imply,  that  some  other  causes  operated,  in 
keeping  away  the  multitude  from  the  choir-leader  of  the  New  Divinity. 

7.  Dr.  C  banning  ascribes  the  unpopularity  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  as  a 
preacher,  to  a  combination  of  different  causes.  He  says  : 

"  My  recollections  of  Dr.  Hopkins  go  bnck  to  my  earliest  years,  [t.  e.f  a 
short  time  after  Dr.  Stiles  penned  the  above  record.]     As  the  Second  Con- 
Church  was  closed  in  my  childhood,  in  consequence  of  Dr.  Stiles's 


removal  to  New  Hnvcn,  my  father  wan  accustomed  to  attend  on  tho  ministry 
of  Dr.  Hopkins.  Perhaps  ho  was  the  first  minister  I  heard,  —  hut  I  heard  him 
with  no  profit.  His  manner,  which  was  singularly  unattractive,  could  not 
win  a  child's  attention  ;  and  the  circumstances  attending  the  Bcrvice  were 
repulsive.  Tho  church  had  been  much  injured  by  the  British  during  tho 
occupation  of  tho  town,  and  the  congregation  were  too  poor  to  repair  it  It 
had  a  desolate  look;  and  in  winter  the  rattling  of  the  windows  made  nn  im 
pression  which  time  has  not  worn  out.  It  was  literally  as  'cold  aa  a  barn;' 
and  pome  of  tho  most  painful  sensations  of  my  childhood  were  experienced 
in  that  comfortless  building.  As  I  grew  up,  I  was  accustomed  to  attend 

*  Sec  Hon.  William  Ellery'i  Letter,  in  Dr.  Holme's  Life  of  Slilci,  pp.  223,  224. 
Hopkinsianism  was  repugnant,  mid  no  was  moderate  Calvinism,  to  many  who  bad  felt 
the  influence  of  DC  Roelminbeau  and  his  arm}-. 


110  MEMOIR. 

worship  in  our  own  church,  where  Dr.  Patten  WM  settled,  so  that  for  years  I 
knew  little  of  Dr.  Hopkins.  My  first  impressions  were  not  very  favorable.  I 
think  it  probable,  that  his  strong  reprobation  of  the  slave  trade  excited  ill 
will  in  the  place ;  find  I  can  distinctly  recollect,  that  the  prevalence  of  terror 
in  his  preaching  was  a  very  common  subject  of  remark,  and  gave  rise  to 
ludicrous  stories  among  the  boys."  —  "His  [Dr.  II.'s]  preaching  can  only 
be  understood  by  one  who  had  heard  him.  His  voice  was  most  untunable. 
Some  of  the  tones  approached  a  cracked  hell,  more  nearly  than  any  thing  to 
which  I  can  compare  it.  He  changed  from  a  low  to  a  high  key,  and  tho 
reverse,  with  no  apparent  reason,  llis  manner  was  without  animation.  His 
matter,  as  far  as  I  can  trust  my  memory,  was  not  miulo  acceptable  by  any 
adaptation  to  the  taste  of  the  hearer.  lie  had  exercised  the  severer  facul 
ties  of  his  mind  too  much  to  give  a  fair  chance  to  tho  imagination.  He  had 
no  relish  for  poetry,  and  spoko  of  himself  us  finding  no  attraction  in  Milton 
or  Slmkspenre.  If  his  style  was  clear  and  strong,  he  owed  these  qmlities  to 
his  habits  of  thought,  and  not  to  any  study  of  tho  best  writers*  We  cannot 
wonder,  then,  that  ho  was  a  very  uninteresting  preacher.  lie  pometimcs 
ascribed  the  unfruitful  ness  of  his  ministry  to  oilier  causes,  and  fieemed  to  see 
in  it  a  judgment  on  himself.  But  a  minister  who  has  not  the  gift  to  win 
attention,  should  see  no  mystery  in  his  failing  to  do  good.  Dr.  Hopkins  was 
a  student,  not  preacher.  His  mind  was  habitually  employed  in  investigation, 
and  he  never  studied  the  art  of  communication.  With  an  unharinonious  voice, 
with  no  graces  of  manner  or  style,  and  with  a  disposition  to  bring  forward 
abstract  nnd  unpalatable  notions,  is  it  wonderful  that  ho  did  so  liltlo  in  the 
pulpit?"* 

H.  The  account  which  Mr.  Hopkins  himself  gives  of  his  ministe- 
rial  discouragements  is  an  allecting  exhibition  of  Ins  faro  virtues. 
The  idea  seems  never  to  have  entered  his  mind,  that  by  concealing 
the  limited  success  of  bis  pulpit,  be  might  preclude  somte  objections 
to  bis  theology.  With  what  un  honest  and  humble  spirit,  does  the 
divine;  of  nearly  fourscore  years  confess  : 

"  My  preaching  has  always  appeared  to  tno  as  poor,  low,  and  miserable, 
compared  with  what  it  ought  to  be  ;  and  frequently  a  sense  of  my  deficiencies 
in  this  has  been  very  painful  and  discouraging;  and  I  have  felt  often  as 
if  I  must  leave  off,  and  never  attempt  any  more ;  and  commonly,  if  not 
always,  a  prospect  of  preaching,  and  when  I  have  been  entering  upon  it,  ho* 
brought  a  peculiar  burden  on  my  mind.  And  many  times,  when  I  have  been 
preaching,  it  has  letl  a  painful  consciousness,  that  I  have  come  unspeakably 
short  of  what  ought  to  be.  And  I  have  never  wondered  that  my  preaching 
lias  been  attended  with  so  littlo  apparent  good  e fleet,  since  it  has  been  so 
deficient  every  way."  f 

IIo\v  suddenly  is  a  critic  disarmed,  when  lie  reads  tho  narrative 
which  this  aged  and  broken-hearted  penitent  gives  of  bis  qualifica 
tions  for  tho  pulpit ! 

"  I  have  never,"  he  says,  "in  tho  course  of  my  life,  since  I  first  entertained 
a  hope  that  I  had  been  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  given  up  my 
hope,  and  come  to  a  settled  conclusion  that  I  had  no  grace;  but  my  doubts 
have  frequently  rose  very  high.  Manv  times  my  exercises  have  been  sucli, 
as  for  a  time  to  exclude  all  doubts,  'hut  I  have  been  constantly  conscious 
that  I  have  always  fallen  unspeakably  below  what  I  ought  to  be<  and  what  I 

*  Dr.  Channing's  Letter  of  February  11,  1810.  Hopkius  wan  on  old  man,  as  thus 
dcicwbod. 

f  Sketches,  p.  R8. 


MEMOIR.  Ill 

hoped  I  should  bo.  My  strongest  religious  exercises  and  highest  enjoyments 
have  taken  place  in  my  retirement  and  secret  devotions ;  and  in  my  public 
performances,  praying  and  preaching  havo  generally  been  very  low ;  which 
I  have  sometimes  suspected  was^  an  argument  that  my  religion  is  not  genuine. 
I  know  it  is  an  argument  against  me,  that  I  am  very  sinfully  defective  in  my 
social  and  public  religion!  I  have  been  frequently  carried  out  in  wccret  in 
views  of  divine  truth,  and  exorcises,  even  to  an  ecstasy,  while  tears  have 
flowed  abundantly,  with  groanings  and  desires  truly  unutterable.  My  re 
ligious  emotions  and  exercises  of  soul  in  the  view  of  the  truths  respecting  God 
and  the  Saviour,  the  way  of  salvation,  my  own  evil  character,  &c.,  have  been 
unspeakably  more  lively  and  strong,  than  any  emotions  and  exercises  I  have 
ever  experienced,  respecting  any  worldly,  temporal  objects.  I  have  loved 
retirement,  and  have  never  been  comfortable  when  deprived  of  it ;  and  have 
taken  more  pleasure  ttlonf.,  than  in  any  company ;  and  have  oilon  chosen  to 
ride  alone,  when  on  a  journey,  rather  than  in  the  best  company.*  I  have  for 
a  long  course  of  yer.rs,  even  from  my  first  entering  on  the  work  of  the  min 
istry,  spent  the  lost  day  of  the  week  in  retirement,  and  in  fasting  and  prayer, 
unless  interrupted  by  something  extraordinary ;  and  have  found  great  ad- 
vant'tgo  by  it.  This  I  have  practised,  not  as  a  burden  and  task,  out  as  a 
privilege.  I  have  felt  and  known  myself  to  be  a  low  and  shameful  Christian, 
if  I  were  one;  nnd  have  generally  reflected  on  myself,  character,  and  con 
duct,  as  a  Christian  nnd  minister  of  the  gospel,  with  a  painful  shrime,  and  self- 
condemnation,  of  which  none  can  have  conception  but  those  who  have  felt 
tho  name ;  knowing  that  in  many  things  I  offend,  and  in  every  thing  havo 
come  unspeakably  short  of  what  I  ought  to  do  and  be,  considering  my  advan 
tages,  mercies,  and  obligations.  My  life  and  character,  and  all  my  exercises, 
are  stained  with  such  an  awful  degree  of  moral  depravity  and  pollution,  that 
I  feel  myself  infinitely  far  from  any  righteousness  or  moral  goodness  that 
can  recommend  me  to  the  favor  of  God;  and  if  I  am  dealt  with  according  to 
my  moral  character  and  desert,  I  must  be  cast  off  by  God,  and  made  miserable 
forever.  I  havo  no  refuge  but  the  righteousness,  the  infinite  merit  and 
worthiness  of  Christ.  In  him  I  hope;  to  him  I  come  for  pardon,  justification, 
and  redemption  from  all  iniquity,  while  I  am  willing  to  be  considered  as 
infinitely  unworthy,  and  ill-deserving,  even  tho  greatest  sinner  that  is,  or 
ever  was  on  earth;  and  know  that  if  I  am  saved,  it  will  be  wholly  owing 
to  more,  infinite,  sovereign  grace;  to  eternal,  electing  love;  for  which  I 
cnnnot  give  or  conceive  any  reason,  but  that  which  was  given  by  the  Son 
of  God  — '  Hven  so,  Father,  for  HO  it  seemed  good  in  thy  sight.'  I  am  truly 
ashamed  of  myself,  that  I  have  lived  so  long,  and  have  made  so  little  ad 
vances  in  mental  [probably  a  misprint  for  'moral  and']  religious  attain 
ments  ;  and  am,  at  the  samo  time,  conscious  that  I  sec  but  very  little  of 
my  shameful  depravity  which  has  actually  taken  place,  and  now  exists,  and 
as  it  is  viewed  by  tho  omniscient  Saviour ;  and,  therefore,  my  confessions, 
tdmmo  and  humiliation  in  his  night  are  inconsiderable  and  nothing,  com 
pared  with  my  real  shameful  depravity  and  odiousnoss.  And  that  petition 
well  becomes  mo,  'God  be  merciful  to  me  a  sinner!'"! 

*  If  Mr.  Hopkins  had  learned  to  express  in  public  the  feelings  which  he  poured  out 
in  private,  lie  would  havo  been  one  of  the  most  eloquent  of  preachers.  Rut  he  wn« 
often  curbed  and  held  down  in  presence  of  nn  auditory.  He  begins  ft  letter  on  tho^  first 
of  January,  1771,  in  a  style  not  very  common  for  a  New  Year's  Day:  "  I  can  in  some 
measure  sympathise  with  you  in  your  dejecting:  sense  of  your  own  pollution,  vileness, 
and  guilt ;  thimgh  this  brings  a  dreadful  burden  on  me  often,  in  which  you  cannot  fully 
nil  are.  You  can  secrete  yourself,  and  withdraw  from  socicly,  when  this  view  of  your 
self  renders  you  unfit  for  company,  and  fills  you  with  apprehensions  that  you  shall  do 
mischief  to,  all  you  converse  with.  Rut  I  am  obliged  to  lead  in  public  worship,  and 
engage  in  the  most  solemn  nnd  awful  business  of  speaking  in  God's  name,  and  dealing 
with  immortals  about  their  eternal  concerns,  whatever  vicwu  I  have  of  myself;  how 
ever  dejected  in  my  own  mind,  and  desirous  to  be  hid  in  a  comer,  out  of  oil  danger 
of  spreading  mischief — out  r,f  tho  way,  and  even  the  thought!  of  all." 

t  Sketches,  nn.  03-UU. 


112  MEMOIR. 

0.  The  success  of  Mr.  Hopkins  in  the  pulpit  has  been  underrated 
both  by  himself  nnd  his  opponents.  Hud  he  not  been  so  much  more 
celebrated  in  other  spheres,  ho  would  have  been  colled  a  useful 
preacher;  not  eminently  so,  not  stirring  or  melting  the  Sensibilities, 
Imt  enlightening  tho  intellect,  probing  the  conscience,  nnd  thus  puri 
fying  the  heart.  We  know  not  how  we  can  otherwise  explain  tho 
eulogies  of  his  friend*,  many  of  whom  were  noted  for  guarding  and 
measuring  thrir  words.  Making  nil  needful  deductions  for  the  filial 
reverence  with  which  Dr.  Samuel  Spring  extolled  the  preaching  of 
his  instructor,  we  cannot  account  for  his  eulogistic  language,  unless 
we  believe  that  Hopkins  did  some  good  to  some  men  ;  and  was  fitted, 
although  not  to  please  the  multitude,  yet  to  edify  mature  Christians. 
"  JVo  minister,  we  think,"  says  Dr.  Samuel  Spring,  "wait  ever  more 
justly  esteemed  and  admired.  For,  though  he  was  destitute  of  natu 
ral  eloquence,  such  was  the  choico  of  his  subjects,  the  interesting 
and  properly  arranged  thoughts  which  constituted  his  sermons  and 
prayers,  that  but  few  preachers  commanded  more  attention,  and  were 
favored  with  more  solemn  and  devout  assemblies.  To  administer 
conviction  and  instruction,  edification  and  consolation,  according  to 
the  respective  conditions  of  his  hearers,  was  the.  design  and  tendency 
of  his  preaching,  (iood  people  rejoiced,  and  wicked  people  trem 
bled,  at  seeing  him  enter  the  desk.  For  he  believed,  and  made  them 
believe  also,  that  his  ministration  would  prove  the  savor  of  life  to 
some,  and  the  savor  of  death  to  others.  How  solemn  the  thought  ! 
How  solemn  and  interesting  the  connection  between  minister  and 
people  !  Hut  this  the  Doctor  felt,  and  this  he  was  qualified  to  mako 
others  feel.  Hence  tho  devout  and  awful  solemnity  which  attended 
his  public  performances.  He  preached  Christ,  and  not  himself;  ho 
concealed  himself,  and  displayed  the  truth."* 


SECT.  XXXII.    HOPKINS  AS  A  REFORMER. 

"Ho  had  many  qualities,"  says  Dr.  Channing,  "fitting  him  for  a 
reformer  —  great  singleness  of  purpose,  invincible  patience  of  re 
search,  sagacity  to  detect  and  courage  to  oppose  errors,  a  thirst  for 
consistency  of  views,  and  resolution  to  carry  out  his  principles  to 
their  legitimate  consequences."  t  He  received  the  recompense  of 
reformers  —  much  obloquy  while  he  was  living;  but  nmiiy  presages 
of  a  posthumous  fame.  In  reading  his  letters  and  Journal,  we  arc 
surprised  at  the  extent  to  which  ho  anticipated  some  of  our  modern 
reforms.  ^ 

He  inculcated,  at  a  very  early  day,  the  duty  of  entire  abstinence 


•  Sec  Massachusetts  Missionary  Magazine  for  February,  1801,  f>.  3C3. 
f  Letter  of  February  II,  113  W. 


MEMOIR.  113 

from  intoxicating  liquids  as  a  beverage.*  He  showed  the  power  of 
conscience  and  will  over  the  sensibilities,  in  his  sudden  abandonment 
of  tobacco.  The  particulars  of  this  change  in  his  habit,  are  thus 
detailed  by  Dr.  Patten : 

"Among  the  customs  of  the  day,  that  of  smoking  had  bccomo  general,  es 
pecially  by  ministers  of  tho  gospel.  Mr.  Hopkins  had  followed  the  custom. 
At  a  meeting  of  ministers,  an  tliev  were  indulging  in  the  practice,  and  had 
filled  tho  room  with  smoke,  the  wife  of  tho  minister  at  whoso  house  they  met, 
found  it  necessary  to  take  something  from  a  cupboard  at  tho  further  corner  of 
the  room.  As  nho  opened  the  door,  a  cloud  of  smoke  came  on  her,  and  pro 
duced  a  partial  suffocation.  She  put  her  apron  to  her  face,  and  hastened 
across  the  room,  and  then  returned  and  shut  tho  door.  Mr.  Hopkins  received 
tho  impression  that  it  was  not  becoming,  but  disgraceful,  for  Christians,  but 
especially  ministers,  to  adopt  a  practiccfwhich  was  disgusting,  and  would  ex 
clude  females  of  delicacy  from  their  society  and  conversation.  He  said  noth 
ing,  but  took  his  pipe  and  laid  it  on  the  shelf  over  the  firepln.ce,  secretly 
resolving  Unit  he  would  not  take  it  down  again  unless  he  should  feel  it  to  bo 
necessary.  Yet  tho  impression  so  fur  continued,  that  he  never  had  the  least 
inclination  to  resume  the  practice.  A  singular  example  of  the  power  of  rea 
son  and  principle  over  sense  and  habit  —  a  habit  which  is  one  of  the  most 
powerful  that  can  be  contracted.  After  this  success,  he  made  it  an  object  to 
speak  to  his  clerical  brethren  and  others  against  the  use  of  tobacco,  as  unne 
cessary  ami  "injurious;  and  so  extensively  did  he  prevail,  that  it  became 
almost  a  mark  that  one  believed  with  him  in  doctrine,  that  he  made  no  use 
of  tobacco."  f 

Mr.  Hopkins  was  un  early  opponent  of  Free-masonry. J  "I 
heartily  wish  tlmt  Dugon  sunk,  as  a  millstone  in  the  sea,  never  to 
rise  again.  Hut  there  is  a  Washington  in  the  way,  and  many  others." 
So  he  wrote  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven,  and  in  his  eighty-first  year 
he  says  :  •«  The  Free-masons  are  building  a  famous  lodge  here.  The 
frame  is  now  raising,  a  few  ro.ds  from  my  house,  in  plain  sight  of 
my  study  window.  Tho  din  of  axes,  hammers,  and  the  voices  of 
men,  assaults  mo  while  I  am  Writing  this.  It  will  cost  some  thou 
sands  of  dollars,  hut  they  have  money  in  plenty  for  the  promotion 
of  such  business.  It  is  to  contain  a  spacious  hall  for  dancing.  Thus 
the  devil's  interest  and  kingdom  seems  to  go  on  and  prosper ;  but  in 
reality  it  is  all  fur  Christ,  and  designed  to  promote  his  interest  and 
kingdom." 

JV<w  omnla  possumus  omnrs.  There  was  one  popular  evil,  the 
nature  of  which  Hopkins  does  not  seem,  at  least  before  his  sixty- 
fifth  year,  to  have  detected.  The  Newport  Mercury  of  December 
18,  178-1,  appropriates  an  entire  page  to  a  list  of  tho  prizes  drawn  in 
the  frst  class  of  the  First  Congregational  Church  Lottery,  in  New 
port.  There  were  thirty-six -hundred  tickets  in  the  lottery;  one 

*  Sec  nlso  his  opposition  to  the  sale  of  ardent  spirit,  ai  intimated  on  pp.  33-35. 

t  Reminiscences,  pp.  37,  30. 

\  This  opposition  of  Mr.  Hopkins  to  the  Masonic  order  evincci  his  impartiality;  for 
•orae  of  his  best  friends  belonged  to  that  order,  and  are  ipoken  of  a*  having  been 
buried  with  Masonic  and  military  honor*. 

' 


114  MEMOIR, 

ticket  drew  three  hundred  dollars,  two  tickets  drew  fifty  dollars  each, 
five  drew  twenty  each,  and  thirty  drew  ten  each.  The  Mercury  of 
February  19, 1785,  devotes  a  column  to  '« a  list  of  the  fortunate  num 
bers  in  the  second  class  of  the  First  Congregational  Church  Lottery 
in  Newport."  This  church  was  Mr.  Hopkins's.  Other  churches, 
however,  were  in  the  same  condemnation.  The  Mercury  of  May 
28,  17R">,  gives  a  schedule  of  the  Jirgt  class  of  the  Second  Congro- " 
gational  Church  Lottery;  and  September  17,  17K>,  it  describes  tlio 
drawing  of  the  second  class  of  the  lottery  for  the  same  churcb,  then 
recently  Dr.  Stiles's.  The  Mercury  of  April  28,  179.>,  publishes  the 
pri/CK  in  tlio  *«  Little  Compton  United  Congregational  Society  Lot 
tery."  The  most  reputable  ministers  of  New  Kngland  then  favored  the 
lottery  system.  Dr.  Hart,  Dr.  Benedict,  and  other  clergymen,  drew 
pri/.es  in  both  the  lotteries  of  Mr.  Hopkins's  church;  and  "honest 
Mr.  Ciillet"  drew  six  hundred  dollars,  the  highest  pri/.e  of  the  second 
clnsM,-^—  Hut  why  not  conceal  these  facts  7  First,  concealment  is  not 
honest.  Secondly,  concealment  is  not  wise.  It  is  useful  to  know 
tho  imperfections  of  the  best  men.  Thirdly,  concealment  does  not 
accord  witli  the  inspired  example.  David  and  Peter  nro  described 
in  the  Bible  as  they  really  lived.  Fourthly,  concealment  is  not  pos- 
/O  nible.  If  tho  friends  of  a  man  do  not  tell  the  truth  about  him,  hia 
v,  cm-mies  will.  Fifthly,  concealment  is  not  necessary.  The  failure 
of  Hopkins  to  see  tho  evil  of  the  lottery  system,  was  shared  by  many 
of  tlio  best  men  in  his  own  day,  and  only  proves  him  to  have  been 
human. 

Thero  is  also  another  evil,  of  which  our  reformer  seems  to  have 
been  regardless,  until  the  year  1770.  Ho  seems  to  have  agreed  with 
President  Hd wards,  as  long  as  the  President  lived,  with  regard  to 
slavery.  In  the  inventory  of  Kdwards's  estate,  after  his  death,  there 
was  mentioned,  among  his  "  quick  stock,"  one  negro  boy,  Titus, 
valued  at  a  hundred  dollars.  So,  during  n  part  of  Hopkins'*  resi 
dence  at  (Ireat  Harrington,  he  owned  a  ^lave.  This  is  asserted  in 
part  on  tho  authority  of  l)rs.  Patten,  Channing,  Tenney,  Mr.  Fer- 
'  ^uson,  and  in  part  on  tho  ground  of  common  fame.  An  ordinary 
observer,  in  the  last  century,  would  not  have  suspected,  that  Samuel 
Hopkins  would  l>ecome,  tho  hero  of  a  novel.  The  Christian  World, 
however,  of  October  M,2I,  and  28,  184M,  devotes  four  or  five  columns 
to  a  tale  extracted  from  tho  Albany  Weekly  Patriot,  with  regard  to 
the  sale  of  Hopkins's  slave,  the  mental  depression  of  the  good  man  in 
consequence  of  bis  bargain,  and  the  subsequent  history  of  the  negro 
who  was  sold.  The  scene  of  the  narrative  is  laid  at  Newport.  The 
more  common,  as  well  as  the  more  correct  opinion,  however,  has 
been,  that  the  slave  was  sold  before  Dr.  Hopkins  visited  Newport, 
and  that  the  remembrance  of  his  own  traffic  in  human  flesh  stimulated 
him  to  oppose  the  same  evil  in  other  men. 


MEMOIR.  H5 


SECT.  XXXIII.    PUBLIC  OPPOSITION  TO  THE  SLAVE  TRADE  AND 
TO  SLAVERY. 

The  nmiable  Buckminster  wrote  a  Review  of  West's  Sketches  of 
Hopkins's  Life,  for  the-  Monthly  Anthology.  Ho  introduced  his 
Review  with  the  following  words :  «»  Nothing  but  the  celebrity  of 
Dr.  Hopkins'*  immo  would  have  induced  us  to  give  that  attention  to 
these  memoirs,  which  is  commonly  expected  of  reviewers;  for  wo 
imagine  they  will  be  very  interesting  only  to  those  who  Imvo 
adopted  his  system  of  theology,  or  who  tire  inclined  to  lay  equal 
Mress  with  him  on  the  variety  and  frequency  of  what  arc  called 
religious  experiences."*  Now,  it  is  very  true,  that  Hopkins  took 
hold  of  theology  with  a  strong  hand;  but  he  was  not  a  man  of  one 
idea.  Politicians,  as  well  as  sentimentalists,  have  an  interest  iti  him  ; 
us  will  be  seen  in  the  record  of  his  anti-slavery  projects. 

Rhode  Island  has  been  justly  famed  for  its  love  of  freedom.  The 
Commissioners  of  Providence  Plantations  and  Warwick  passed  an 
act  against  the  purchase  of  negroes,  as  early  us  May  1H,  l(v>2.  In 
Ki?r>-<),  the  Legislature  prohibited  the  reducing  of  Indians  to  bond 
age  ;  and  in  17I<"»,  the  importtttioil  of  Indian  slaves.  Hut  notwith 
standing  her  early  zeal  in  behalf  of  liberty,  Rhode  Inland  became, 
at  length,  deeply  involved  in  the  slave  system.  Many  of  her  fami 
lies  gained  their  wealth  from  it,  many  more  were  dependent  upon  it 
for  their  maintenance.  And  of  all  her  towns  which  were  engaged  in 
the  negro  tratlic,  Newport  was  the  chief.  It  was,  indeed,  "the  great 
slave  market  of  New  Kngland ! "  t  It  is  said,  that  Hopkins  often 
looked  upon  the  cargoes  of  Africans  who  were  landed  at  the  wharves 
near  his  meeting-house  and  parsonage.  His  church  members,  his 
best  friends,  his  nearest  neighbors,  nearly  «11  the  respectable  families 
of  the  town,  were  owners,  and  many  of  the  most  accomplished  iner- 
r.lmnts  on  the  island  were  importers  of  slaves.  They  imported  not 
for  New  Kngland  alone,  but  for  the  South.  Even  as  recently  as 
ISO-i-S,  Rhode  Island  owned  fifty-nine  of  the  two  hundred  and  two 
shners  carrying  negroes  into  the  single  port  of  Charleston,  South 
Carolina;  and  of  the  seventeen  thousand  and  forty-eight  Africans, 
taken  into  that  port  during  those  four  years  by  American  vessels, 
the  Rhode  Island  slavers  took  six  thousand  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
eight  ;  and  of  these,  the  Newport  slavers,  diminished  in  number  as 
they  had  been,  took  three  thousand  four  hundred  and  eighty-eight.  \ 

Amid  such  a  community,  then,  to  attack  the  system  of  African 
bondage  was  to  rise  up  against  principalities  and  powers ;  against 
friends,  and  even  the  church.  It  would  have  been  very  easy  for 

•  S«>c  Anthology,  vol.  iii.  p.  15-,  scq. 

f  Updike's  History  of  the  Norrapansft  Church,  pp.  170-174. 

t  Speech  of  Judge  Smith,  of  Smith  Carolina,  in  thn  United  States  Senate,  December 
8,  18.10.  Sec  Updike's  History  of  the  Narrajauset  Church,  p.  1C8. 


116  MEMOIR. 

Hopkins  to  discharge  volleys  against  this  evil  from  behind  Monu 
ment  Mountain,  in  Great  Barrington;  bat  now  he  has  removed  from 
that  snug  retreat  into  the  very  centre  of  the  slave  interest,  his  per 
sonal  quiet  and  reputation  arc  Im/.arded  by  n  single  whisper  with 
regard  to  it ;  —  and  what  shall  he  do  ?  He  is  poor,  and  at  this  time 
[about  1770]  lie  has,  what  he  never  had  before,  a  comfortable  sa!'  *y  ; 
—  shall  lie  forfeit  his  support  ?  He  is  the  reputed  leader  of  a  new 
school  of  divines;  —  and  shall  he  expose  that  school  to  obloquy,  by 
identifying  it  with  an  unpopular  assault  upon  an  established  institu 
tion  ?  He  is  a  preacher  of  the  gospel;  —  and  shall  he  divert  the 
attention  of  his  hearers  from  spiritual  truth  to  a  political  scheme  1 
These  were  grave  questions  which  he  gravely  canvassed.  At  first 
he  doubted.  He  was  a  prudent  man.  lint  his  Hopkiilsian  divinity 
Mas  characteri/.ed  by  the  principle,  that  one  must  sacrifice  all  his 
interests,  in  this  and  the  other  world,  if  one  can  thercbv  promote 
the  welfare  of  "being  in  general."  He  believed  that  if  he  lifted  his 
voice  in  behalf  of  tin-  bondmen,  he  should  advance  the  interests  of 
his  race  and  the  honor  of  his  Maker.  He  ollered  himself  as  a  sac 
rifice.  He  did  it  deliberately,  solemnly.  Anticipating  the  indigna 
tion  of  his  people  and  the  anger  of  the  community,  he  preached  a 
sermon  against  the  kidnapping,  and  purchasing,  and  retaining  of 
slaves.  A  New  England  poet  *  has  said  :  *'  It  well  may  be  doubted, 
whether,  on  that  Sabbath  day,  the  angels  of  (iod,  in  their  wide  sur 
vey  of  his  universe,  looked  upon  a  nobler  spectacle  than  that  of  the 
minister  of  Newport,  rising  up  before  his  slaveholding  congregation, 
and  demanding,  in  the  name  of  the  Highest,  the  'deliverance  of  the 
captive,  and  the  opening  of  prison  doors  to  them  that  were  bound!" 
The  riti/ens  of  Newport  were  startled  by  this  novel  discourse.  No 
minister  in  the  land  had  preached  on  slavery  in  so  bold  a  manner,  t 
The  benevolent  Quaker*  of  Rhode  Island  had  long  been  willing  to 
pursue,  but  were  not  now  pursuing,  a  course  of  public  action  against 
the  e\il.  Hopkins  stood  up  alone,  not  indeed  without  any  in  the 
State  who  would  give  him  their  sympathies,  but  without  any  who 
would  rise  in  bold  resistance  to  the  dominant  powers.  He  antici 
pated  the  worst,  and  showed  the  spirit  of  a  martyr.  Jn  his  modesty, 
he  underrated  the  strength  of  attachment  felt  for  him  by  his  people. 
His  sermons  otlcndcd  a  few,  and  made  them  permanently  his  ene 
mies.  One  wealthy  family  left  his  congregation  in  disgust;  but  the 
majority  of  his  hearers  were  astonished  that  they,  of  themselves,  had 
not  long  before  seen  and  felt  the  truths  which  he  disclosed  to  them. 
He  was  encouraged,  and  went  again  to  the  work.  Jn  1770,  ho 

•  John  G.  Whillicr,  in  llio  National  Kirn,  July  12,  1017. 

t  T'ii«'M«  it  no  donlit  tli.it  man v  clergymen  in  the  land  were  inwardly  hostile  to  tho 
ihive  »y*lnn,  mid  WIT<«  happy  to  sw  it  10  vigorously  oppoiud.  Hul  Hopkins  hiul  not 
been  uppriniM1 .of  their  feeling*.  •— Ho  preached  uovernl  liinci  on  tho  »ul>jocl  between 
1770  mid  177G. 


MEMOIR.  117 

published  his  celebrated  Dialogue  concerning  the  Slavery  of  the  Afri 
cans,  together  with  his  Address  to  Slaveholders.  This  is  a  remarkable 
document.  It  opposes  both  the  purchasing  and  the  owning  of  slaves. 
Some  parts  of  it  are  written  in  a  stylo  of  live-oak.  They  arc  good 
specimens  of  the  condensed  vigor  which  he  could,  at  times,  throw 
into  his  composition.  Very  few  reasons  and  motives  have  since  been 
adduced  for  manumission,  which  are  not  found  in  this  pamphlet.  It 
was  for  a  long  time  a  thcuaurun  for  less  original  writers  on  the  sub 
ject.  It  is  noteworthy,  that  he  penned  this  Dialogue  during  the 
alarms  which  his  people  were  guttering,  in  the  two  years  preceding 
their  dispersion  by  the  British.  He  published  it  in  the  midst  of  the 
revolutionary  war !  lie  printed  it  at  Norwich ;  probably  because 
the  Newport  press  could  not  safely  engage  in  so  offensive  an  enter 
prise.  What  hope  had  he,  that  amid  the  distracting  influences  of 
the  struggle  for  independence,  his  countrymen  would  listen  to  an 
appeal  for  the  slave  ?  He  deemed  it  the  fitting  time  for  mich  an 
appeal ;  because,  while  men  were  expending  their  treasures  for  their 
own  freedom,  they  Would  feel  the  consistency  of  giving  freedom  to 
their  own  bondmen.  Hopkins  meant  to  sound  a  trumpet  which 
would  be  heard  throughout  the  land.  Hu  aimed  high.  He  dedi 
cated  his  pamphlet  to  tho  "  Honorable  Continental  Congress." 
Copies  of  it  were  sent  to  tho  members  of  that  body,  and  to  tho 
prominent  citizens  in  all  the  colonies.  As  it  was,  in  some  respects, 
perhaps  the  ablest  document  which  had,  at  that  time  and  on  that 
theme,  appeared  in  the  English  language,  and  as  it  was  not  known  to 
have  come,  from  an  humble  parson,  (for  its  author  did  not  publish 
his  name  at  first,)  it  had  a  wide  circulation  among  statesmen.  It 
wax  reprinted,  in  an  edition  of  two  thousand  copies,  by  the  Now 
York  Manumission  Society,  conformably  to  a  vote  passed  December 
II,  l?K"),  less  than  a  year  after  the  formation  of  the  society.  A  copy 
of  it  was  sent,  in  accordance  with  another  vote  of  the  name  asso 
ciation,  to  every  member  of  Congress,  ami  of  tho  New  York  Legis 
lature.  .John  Jay  was  at  that  time  tho  President  of  the  society,  and 
Alexander  Hamilton  tho  Secretary.  Among  its  most  active  members 
wore  James  Duane,  Mayor  of  New  York  City,  and  Robert  It.  Liv 
ingston,  Chancellor  of  New  York  State.  The  society,  in  about  live 
months  nl'lcr  it  had  published  this  Dialogue,  addressed  a  petition  to 
tho  Legislature,  in  favor  of  a  law  prohibiting  tho  exportation  of 
slaves  for  a  foreign  market.  It  is  said  that  the  Dialogue  did  much 
to  prepare  the  minds  of  tiie  society  for  this  aggressive  movement. 

At  a  subsequent  date,  the  society  directed  the  following  letter 
to  Mr.  IloplxiiM.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  about  three  months 
before  this  honor  was  conferred  on  him,  the  same  honor  was  con 
ferred,  by  tho  same  association,  upon  (iranvillu  Sharp,  of  England.* 

*  Sec  the  letlrr  of  Judjjo  Jay,  ami  Mr.  .Sharp'*  acknowledgment  of  tho  same,  in 
Princo  Houru':!  Life  of  Hliarp,  pp.  .Mr,!,  AM,  quarto  edition. 


118  MEMOIIl. 

"Now  York,  December  10, 1788.  Reverend1  Sir :  I  havo  the  honor  to  inform 
you  that  tho  Society  for  promoting  the  Manumisuion  of  Slaves,  and  protecting 
Buch  of  them  as  have  been  or  may  be  liberated,  wishing  to  show  their  respect 
to  gentlemen  who  aro  eminent  lor  their  attachment  to  the  rights  of  men  in 
general,  and  particularly  to  those  who  espouse  the  cause  of  tho  enslaved  Afri 
cans,  have  lately  added  to  their  rules  one  for  tho  admission  of  honorary  mem 
bers;  and  nt  their  last  meeting  took  the  liberty  of  enrolling  your  name  among 
them;  of  which  they  directed  notice  to  bo  given  by  their  Committee  of  Cor 
respondence,  in  whose  behalf  I  now  write.  It  is  with  peculiar  pleasure  I 
communicate  the  information,  and  have  the  honor  to  be,  Reverent!  Sir,  your 
very  humble  servant,  KKK.N  HAZARD." 

About  the  same  time,  Mr.  Hopkins  was  elected  nn  honorary  mem 
ber  of  tho  Pennsylvania  Society  for  tlio  Manumission  of  Slaves ;  of 
which  society  Benjamin  Franklin  was  President,  ami  Dr.  Benjamin 
Hush  was  Secretary. 

It  must  not  bo  supposed  that  Hopkins  confined  bis  fflorts  to  tho 
pulpit  and  tho  press.  "  In  ono  instance,"  says  Mr.  John  (i.  Whit- 
tier,*  "  bo  borrowed,  on  bis  own  responsibility,  tho  sum  requisite  to 
secure  tho  freedom  of  n  slave  in  whom  be  became  interested."  Ho 
was  a  kind  of  anti-slavery  apostle,  visiting  from  bouse  to  house,  nnd 
urging  masters  to  free  their  bondmen.  Ho  persuaded  several  of  bis 
neighbors  to  perform  this  duty,  nnd  his  conversation  with  many 
clergymen  awakened  their  minds  to  exertion  in  this  branch  of  be 
nevolence.  Wo  cannot  estimate  the  amount  of  good  which  be  ac 
complished  in  tho  following  interview  with  Dr.  Bellamy,  whoso 
example  was  n  law  to  multitudes.  Mr.  1'crguson  says,  t  that  while 
Hopkins  was  onco  on  a.  visit  at  the  bouse  of  Bellamy,  who  then 
owned  ix  slave,  bo  pressed  upon  bis  friend  t-be  objections  against 
slavery.  Bellamy  defended  the  system  with  the  usual  arguments, 
and  Hopkins  refuted  them,  and  then  called  on  bis  friend  to  frco  bis 
wlavo  at  onco;  Bellamy  replied,  that  *«  the  slave  was  n  most  faithful 
nnd  judicious  servant ;  that  in  bis  management  of  the  farm,  bo  could 
bo  trusted  with  every  thing;  nnd  that  be  was  so  happy  in  bis  ser 
vitude,  that  be  would,  in  the  opinion  of  bis  master,  refuse  bis  free 
dom,  were  it  oftorod  to  him.  *  \\ill  you  consent  to  bis  liberation/ 
said  Dr.  Hopkins,  « if  be  really  desires  it  ? '  «  Yes,'  replied  Dr.  Bel 
lamy,  *  1  will.'  Tho  slave  was  then  at  work  in  tho  field.  *  Cull 
bim,'  said  Dr.  H.,  and  let  us  try.'  The  slave  came  to  receive,  ns  be 
lie  supposed,  the  commands  of  bis  master.  — «  Have  you  u  good 
master?'  said  Dr.  Hopkins,  addressing  tin;  slave.  What  could  the 
slave  answer  but,  *\es'? —  *  Aro  you  happv  in  your  present  con 
dition?  '  —  How  could  the  slave  deny  that  be  was? — •«  Would 
you  be  more  happy  if  you  were  free?'  *  O,  yen,  massa,  —  mo 
would  bo  much  more  happy.'  «  You  have  your  desire,'  exclaimed 
Dr.  Bellamy  :  'from  this  moment  you  are  free.'  "J 

*  800  National  F.rn,  July  12,  l!H7.     Soo  also  ration'*  Komimsrcnri'A,  pp.  B2,  03. 
f   Lilt'  of  Hopkins,  p|>.  !!.">,  I  id. 

f  8ul  ^initially  the  sumo  narrative  ban  been  given  by  several  wrilcri  beside  Mr.  Fer- 
gusou. 


MEMOIR.  119 


SHOT.  XXXIV.    INTEREST  IN  ABOLITION  SOCIETIES,  AND  IN 
POLITICAL  ACTION  AGAINST  SLAVERY. 

When  Mr.  Hopkins  first  preached  against  the  slave  system,  there 
was  not  —  so  fur  as  we  nro  apprised  —  an  association  formed  in  the 
world  for  abolishing  that  system.  Multitudes  were  in  favor  of  tho 
abolition,  but  they  had  no  concerted  plan  for  effecting  their  purpose. 
Although  the  forecasting  mind  of  the  Newport  pastor  was  not  the 
first  to  devise  the  scheme  of  Abolition  Societies,  yet  ho  was  quick  to 
see  their  worth,  and  his  efforts  were  among  tho  foremost  means  of 
augmenting  their  number.  Not  only  by  his  Sermons  and  Dialogue, 
but  by  his  numerous  letters  to  public  men,  and  by  his  newspaper 
essays,  he  stirred  up  ministers  and  laymen  to  nn  organized  and  po- 
liticul  action  against  slavery.  Ho  found  powerful  coadjutors  among 
the  Society  of  Friends.  He  found,  also,  an  innate  love  of  freedom 
among  the  yeomen  of  Rhode  Island.  With  all  his  martyr-spirit,  he 
doubtless  foresaw  that  the  mass  of  the  people  would  come  right;  for, 
although  he  was  not  familiar  with  the  etiquette  of  society,  he  had  a 
profound  knowledge  of  human  nature,*  and  a  faith  that  («od  will  lead 
his  servants  through  much  tribulation  into  ultimate  success.  It  was 
cheering  to  him,  that  some  time  after  he  had  broken  the  silence  of 
the  pulpit,  the  friends  of  freedom,  in  June,  177-1,  pressed  a  law  — 
somewhat  inoperative,  indeed — through  the  Legislature  of  Rhode 
Island,  prohibiting  the  importation  of  negroes  into  the  colony.  Still 
more  cheering  was  the  legislative  vote  of  February,  17Hl,t  declaring 
that  Jill  children  of  slaves,  born  after  the  first  of  the  next  March, 
should  be  free.  He  found  hosts  of  enemies,  however,  and  the  fol 
lowing  correspondence  exhibits  his  activity  in  counteracting  their 
schemes,  and  in  waking  up  the  energies  of  good  men.  IT,  discloses, 
also,  the  hardships  to  which  the  early  advocates  of  freedom  were 
exposed,  and  our  obligations  to  them  for  enduring  this  "  hardness  as 
good  soldiers." 

To  Moses  Brown,  of  Providence,  a  iccalthy  mrmlcrofthc  Society  of  /ViVw/,«. 
—  u  Newport,  April  20, 1784.  Much  esteemed  Friend :  Iain  much  pleased 
with  your  /oul,  and  persevering,  assiduous  attempts  to  discourage  and  abolish 
tho  slave  trade  and  the  slavery  of  the  Africans  among  us.  Though  I  Imve  a 
decree  of  tho  HUIIIC  zeal,  yet  I  am  apt  to  sink  under  discouragements  which 
you  scorn  easily  to  surmount  I  have  dared  publicly  to  declare  that  this  town 
is  the  most  guilty,  respecting  tho  slave  trade,  of  any  on  the  continent,  as  it 
has  been,  in  a  great  measure,  built  up  by  the  blood  of  the  pc>or  Africans ;  nnd 
that  the  only  way  to  escape  Uic  effects  of  divine  displeasure,  is  to  be  sensible 

*  When  Dr.  C.  J.  Tonnry  wns  a  young  mnn,  on  his  wny  to  Newport,  Dr.  Spring,  of 
Ncwburyport,  suid  to  him,  "  In  fiAccn  minutes,  Dr.  Hopkins  will  sound  you  through  and 
through." 

t  In  this  your,  however,  a  motion  to  prohibit  tho  ilnvo  trade  wn*  negatived  by  a  eon* 
•iderabln  majority  of  the  (icnernl  Assembly  of  Rhode  Island.  Still,  tho  Rhode  IilasJ 
Assembly  was  only  four  years  later  than  the  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  in  securing 
the  freedom  of  the  slaves  to  bo  born  within  the  State. 


120  MKMOIIl. 

of  the  §in,  repent,  and  reform.  This  has  greatly  dwploaned  a  number,  and  I 
fear  the  moat  are  far  from  a  deposition  to  repent,  especially  they  who  havo  the 
greatest  nhare  of  the  guilt.  This  town,  I  greatly  fear,  will  be  tho  last  in  the 
Ntato  to  do  what  they  ought  to  do,  and  bo  foremost  in  it,  respecting  that  mast 
abominable  traffic,  and  tho  conHequont  slavery  that  in  among  UM.  Thin  gives 
mo  a  gloomy  prospect  of  our  future  cireunwtancoH,  The  Ireemen  have  cho- 
POM  a  new  net  of  rcprcHcntntivow,  except  one.  Though  some  of  them  are, 
in  many  respects,  worthy  men,  I  believe  not  one  of  them  will  vote  for  any  law 
to  discourage  tho  slave  trailo,  or  the  slavery  of  tho  Africans,  And  I  suspect 
tliut  tliey  who  planned  this  choice  had  a  particular  view  to  this.  AH  there  nrc 
objections  agnmst  the  law  freeing  those  ulucks  which  shall  bo  born  in  future, 
especially  against  the  towns  where  they  are  born  being  obliged,  to  maintain 
them,  &e.,  1  expect  there  will  be  a  strong  motion  to  have  it  altered  or  re 
pealed  at  the  next  General  Assembly;  and  I  fear  that,  by  tho  cunning  and 
inlluenco  of  n  number,  the  latter  will  bo  e  flee  tod.  Hut  (Jon  sitteth  in  the 
heavens, 

"Tin;  Friends  have  net  a  laudable  example  in  bearing  testimony  against  the 
slave  trade,  and  exerting  themselves  to  suppress  the  slavery  of  the  Africans; 
and,  I  must  Hay, have  acted  nu  re  like  (Christians,  in  this  important  article,  than 
any  other  denomination  of  Christians  among  us.  To  our  shame  be  it  spoken! 
The  church  in  which  I  preside  havo  agreed  to  declare,  that  the  nlavo  trade, 
aud  the  slavery  of  the  blacks,  as  it  has  been  practised  among  us,  is  a  gross 
violation  of  the  righteousness  and  benevolence  which  are  HO  much  inculcated 
in  the  gospel,  and,  therefore,  we  will  not  tolerate  it  in  thin  church.  JUit  it  is 
thought  that  present  circumstances  will  not  admit  of  our  addressing  the  (Jen- 
em!  Assembly  on  that  head,  so  as  to  answer  any  good  purpose.  What  I  pub 
lished  formerly,  in  the  weekly  pnper  here,  consisted  chiefly  in  extracts  from 
other  authors,*  all  which  yon  havo  doubtless  Heen,  and  most  of  them  hnve 
since  been  printed  in  Providence  papers.  Our  printer  gave  such  ofl'enco  to  a 
number,  by  publishing  those  extracts,  nud  was  so  threatened,  if  he  continued 
to  insert  sncli  things  in  his  paper,  that  ho  lias  been  backward  to  do  any  thing 
of  this  kind  Mince.  Jle  has,  however,  consented  to  print  some  observations 
on  that  bend,  which  1  thought  proper  at.  this  time,  next  Saturday;  a  copy  of 
which  1  slnll  send  to  you  when  I  havo  opportunity."  t 

7'o  Muses  Ilroicn.  —  "  Nov.  17,  I7H-I.  My  worthy  Friend  :  I  enclose  to  you 
something  relating  to  the  slave  trade,  that  you  may  get  it  inserted  in  the  1'rov- 
idence  papers,  if  you  think  it  will  answer  any  valuable  end.  I  have  not  offered 
it.  to  the  printer  here,  because  I  thought  if  it  first  apj>oared  in  our  paper,  the  au 
thor  would  be  more,  likely  to  be  inspected,  which  would  answer  no  gtxxl  end, 
but  the  contrary,  t  I  "in  glad  to  nee  the  address  of  the  Friends  to  the  British 
Legislature,^  inserted  in  Mr.  Wheeler's  puper.  I  hopo-it  will  have*  influence. 
At  least,  they  havo  delivered  themselxes  from  the  guilt  of  that  horrible  trade." 

*  llo  published,  nt  this  period,  various  extracts  from  llio  writing*  of  tho  Bishop  of 
(•loncosier ;  <md  several  yours  uftrrwnnl,  extracts  from  tho  work*  of  Clarksou  nnd 
Paloy,  on  the  slave  system.  II i»  also  published,  if  \vo  may  jud^o  from  tho  nlvlivof  tho 
nnonvinoiis  o«MiV!t,  inoro  of  i»rigin,il  uutttrr  lliaa  raino  front  tin1  p«'ii  of  any  oilier  Rhode 
l-'undiT,  on  (hi*  topic 

t  Tin*  nrtirlo  was  printed  in  the  Newport  Mercury  of  Mny  1.  ITMt ;  nnd  n*  n  spoci. 
men  of  liis  mildeNt  M)!o  on  the  mrfiject  of  slavery,  i*  now  rcptlMiidioil  in  the  ]>orlriiiiil 
Trncl  Suricty'n  edition  of  ]Io|)kiii!t'M  Works. 

J  'I'hii  i*  n  very  spirited  urliclo.  It  first  nppenred  in  the  United  .States  Chronicle, 
Political,  Commercial,  and  liinloriral,  printed  l>v  Ilennet  NN'heelcr,  Providence;  and  at 
(ho  close  i*  tho  following  notice  :  "  All  the  printern  of  newspapers  ill  tho  I'nited  Slates, 
who  are  friend*  to  liberty,  their  country,  nnd  mankind,  nro  desired  to  insert  the  nbo\r 
in  their  several  papers."  (Ireal  etl'orts  were  made  bv  Mr.  llrown  to  circulate  nil  of  Mr, 
Hopkins'*  nrwxpnpor  rstnys.  Many  of  them  wore  struck  off  in  a  separate  form,  nnd 
distributed  as  circnlnrs  over  the  conntrv. 

A  In  !'..  Copley's  History  of  Slavery,  it  is  snid  that  tho.  first  petition  to  Parliament 
for  the  abolition  of  tho  .ilivvo  tradu  was  pro.scntcd  in  1785,  by  citizeni  of  IJridjr.cwater, 


MEMOIR.  121 

To  Dr.  Ln\  Hart,  tf  Proton,  Connecticut.*  —  «  ?ebrnary  10,  1786.  Rev- 
ercnd  and  Dear  Sir:  I  send  you  three  pamphlets,  nut  into  my  hands  to  pro 
mote  a  conviction  of  tho  evil  of  the  slave  trade  and  of  slavery.  You  will  use 
them  to  that  end,  in  tho  way  you  think  best  They  are  printed  by  tho  Qua- 
kers  in  England.  Mr,  Brown,  of  Providence,  who  sent  them  to  mo,  writes 
that  tho  dissenting  clergy  aro  joining  to  promote  tho  titter  abolition  of  slavery 
in  the  British  dominions,  and  of  tho  slave  trade.  Ho  wishes  to  have  a  prize  f 
set  up  in  some  of  our  colleges,  to  be  given  for  the  best  piceo  against  tho  slave 
trade,  and  says  ho  will  give  twenty  dollars  toward  such  a  design.  Ho  wishes 
the  clergy  in  America  were  more  engaged  to  use  their  influence  against  tho 
slave  trade.  Query  :  Would  it  not  bo  worth  while  to  attempt  to  got  the  Con 
vention  of  clergy  in  Boston,  the  (Jenenil  Association  in  Connecticut,  and  tho 
Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  to  remonstrate  against  it  to  Congress, 
or  [in]  some  other  way  to  bear  thc-ir  'testimony  against  it  ?  " 


To  ,Vo5M  Brown.  —  "  March  !>,  17H7.  Mv  Friend  :  I  wrote  you  two  day* 
ago,  but  having  since  received  a  letter  from  Mr,  Law,  dated  Charleston,  Feb 
ruary  1(»,  I  write  again  to  send  you  the  following  abstract  from  it:  'A  Cap 
tain  Mines  S.,  of  Providence,  shipped  two  free  negroes  as  seamen  on  board 
his  vessel  ;  and  when  he  arrived  at  this  place,  he,  instead  of  paying  them  their 
wages,  according  to  agreement,  sold  them  for  slaves.  A  gentleman,  whom  I 
desired  to  inquire  into  the  mutter,  informed  me  yesterday  that  they  were  re 
deemed  and  set  at  liberty.  But  I  think  such  iniquity  ought  not  to  go  unpun 
ished,  if  any  law  will  take  hold  of  it;  and  I-  wish  you  to  write  to  Mr.  Moses 
Brown.  If  nothing  more,  it  may  be  a  means  of  their  preventing  others  doing 
in  like  m-inner.'  You  will  pleaso  to  make  what  use  of  thin  you  think  best. 
Ho  informs  me  that  the  Legislature  in  North  Carolina  had  made  a  law  prohib 
iting  the  importing  slaves  into  that  State;  and  that  a  senator,  member  of  tho 
Legislature  of  South  Carolina,  then  sitting  at  Charleston,  had  told  him  that  ho 
did  not  doubt  but  a  law  of  the  same  tenor  would  be  enacted  at  that  session." 

To  Moyca  Ilrwrn.  —  u  August  13,  17H7.  My  Kind  Friend  :  Yours  of  July  17 
came  to  hand  about  tho  beginning  of  this  month.  I  thank  you  for  the  intelli 
gence  you  have  taken  pains  to  communicate  to  me,  I  have  the  same  opinion 
of  Dr.  Thornton  J  that  you  havo  entertained  of  him.  I  have  seen  tho  memo 
rial  thai  you,  with  your  friends,  presented  to  the  General  Assembly  of  this 
Suite,  and  highly  approve  of  it.  I  huvo  mado  a  motion  to  most  of  the  ministers 
in  this  town  to  join  with  all  tho  ministers  in  this  State,  in  presenting  a  memo 
rial  to  the.  Assembly,  of  tho  same  tenor  with  yours.  Severn!  of  them  approve, 
and  say  they  will  sign  such  a  memorial,  if  I  will  draw  one.  But  my  situation 
and  business  will  not  admit  of  my  applying  to  all  the  ministers  in  tho  State, 
before  tho  Assembly  is  to  sit.  I  hope  to  present  the  matter  as  soon  as  possi- 

Hut  Clnrknon,  in  liin  History,  p.  !'l.  montiom  tlic  petition  »>f  tho  Qmikors  for  tho  snmo 
object,  in  17JI.J-,  to  which  pHilion  Mr.  Hopkins  hero  alludes.  Tho  HOIINU  of  BurtfrMe*, 
in  Virginia,  petitioned  tho  A'//*.;,  >n  the  lirst  of  April,  177J,  i'or  the  uliolilion  of  tho 
slave  tni'lc  in  their  colony. 

*  Hov.  l.ovi  Hart,  of  l'ro»ton,  Connecticut,  wan  nil  intimate  friond-of  Hopkins,  from  17f»0 
to  llkKl.  Ho  was  n  theological  Bludcul  uf  Dulluiny,  ami  mc.rrinl  Kobeccu,  IWlumy's 
cMo.st  daughter.  lie  wa.s  umonjf  tho  original  founder*  of  tlio  Minsionnry  Society  of 
Connecticut,  mid  wan  nrtivo  in  forming  tho  connrctinn  between  the  churches  of  Con 
necticut  nml  tlit<  I'reiliyterian  Cioncral  Assembly.  Ho  wn*  a  irmtco  of  Dnrtmouth,  and 
also  of  Yalo  College,  Ho  was  n  man  of  inlhtoiyo.  At  his  fnnornl,  Dr.  Joel  Uonodict 
proarlicd  n  xcrnmn  \  mul  on  tho  following  SaM>i»lh  Dr.  Nnllian  Strong  prcnchcd  nnolhur 
sermon,  in  memory  of  his  virtnm.  Hoth  of  those  ilisconrsei  wore  puhlidllod, 

t  Tlie  i«lrn  of  thin  norm*  to  have  horn  *  <»(;£<'«  toil  by  tho  prize  cmay  proposed  in  tho 
ycnr  procedinp,  by  Dr.  Focknnl,  of  Cambridge,  Kn^l«n<l.  Thomn*  Clurkson  was  tho 
•iiccoKHt'iil  minpolilor  for  tho  premium,  nnd  ilerivcil  from  it  bit  fir*t  interest  in  the  cnuso 
of  tho  ilnvc. 

J  Quo  of  the  earliott  frioniU  of  tho  colonization  ichemo, 
k 


122  MBM01R. 

bio.  I  do  not  think  it  likely  that  the  Awcmhly  will  take  the  matter  up,  BO  aa 
to  do  any  thing  against  tho  ilave  trade,  at  the  next  session.  If  they  do  not 
wholly  dismiss  tho  petition,  I  shall  be  glad.  I  have  pretty  pood  evidence  that 
nomo  of  them  si>eak  fair  words  to  you  and  your  friends,  who  yet  arc  deter 
mined  againut  uoing  any  thing  against  tho  olavo  trade.  I  cnclowo  to  you  an 
cusay  which  I  huvo  attempted  to  got  published  in  Uie  Newport  Henild.  And 
tho  printer  promised  mo  that  ho  woula  insert  tho  whole  of  it  Mt  tho  head  of  hid 
paper,  this  week,  BO  that  it  tihould  bo  out  before  tho  pitting  of  tho  Assembly. 
But  he  hiiH  since  told  mo  that  lie  cannot  print  it,  and  luw  returned  it.  Ho  etiys 
he  IIUH  consulted  his  friends,  and  they  tell  him  that,  it  will  greatly  hurt  his  in- 
tercst  to  do  it;  that  there  it*  wo  largo  a  number  of  his  customers  either  in  tho 
wlave  trado,  or  in  nucl»  connection  with  (it],  or  so  disjnwd  with  respect  to  it, 
to  whom  it  will  give  the  greatest  offence,  ,thrit  it  is  not  prudent  for  him  to  do 
it,  lie  therefore  wholly  refuses  to  do  it.  [Thus  that  wicked  Het  of  men  in 
this  town  have  got  tho  printer  in  their  hanjs,  and  have  silenced  the  prof*,  us 
other  tyrant.*  have  done  beforo  them.  In  vain  do  I  tell  him,  that  he  bus  fallen 
from  Ins  profession  and  promise  when  he  first  came  here,  and  that  his  press  is 
no  more  open  nnd  free.  If,  when  you  have  read  it,  you  shall  think  best  to 
have  it  published,  and  Mr.  Whoelor  or  Mr.  Tarter  will  do  it,  vou  have  my  freo 
consent.  I  have  erased  Mr.  K.'s  name.  //i'.t  name  who  shall  print  it,  ii  it  be 
printed,  must  be  inserted  in  the  room  of  tliat.  The  length,  perhaps,  may  be 
nn  objection,  though  Mr.  K.  did  not  object  to  that.  If  it  cannot  be  all  inserted 
in  one  paper,  it  may  be  divided  and  continued  to  tho  next.  —  I  shall  very 
thankfully  accept  of  your  kind  offer  of  the  loan  of  Ramsay's  Treatise.  I  hnvo 
desired  to  read  it  ever  since  I  saw  the  account  of  it  in  ("MarksonV  Essay.  You 


will  please  to  wend  it  by  Home  safe  conveyance,  or  commit  it  to  the  care  of 
in,  a  free  negro,  in  Providence,  whom  I  suppose  you  know.     IIo 


Yaniina, 

will  faithfully  transmit  it  to  me.  This  is  to  go  through  his  'hands.  I  send 
you  one  of  the  second  edition  of  the  Pinlogue  concerning  the  Slavery  of  the 
Africans,  to  which  a  short  Appendix  is  added." 

In  n  letter  of  October  2^,  17S7,  Mr.  -Hopkins  remarks  to  Mr. 
Brown  : 

"  It  1ms  been  objected  by  nome  of  tho  ministers,  against  preferring  a  memo 
rial  to  the  General  Assembly,  respecting  the  slavo  trade,  that  the  present  nil- 
ing  part  in  tho  Assembly  have  appenrcd  to  be  »o  destitute  of  all  principles  of 
justice,  or  [of]  regard  to  it,  and  have  acted  such  an  iniquitous  part,  that  then*  is 
an  impropriety  in  applying  to  them  for  justice;  especially  for  the  ministers  of 
the  gospel  to  do  it,  whom  they  hold  in  the  highest  contempt,  and  would  embrace 
any  opportunity  to  jxwr  contempt  npon  them;  which  we  should  give  them  by 
laying  such  a  petition  beforo  thorn.  This  prevents  any  thing  of  that  kind 
being  done  at  present." 

In  the  sumo  letter,  Mr.  Hopkins  alludes  to  n  lengthened  Kssny, 
vignril  CV//o,  which  1m  hud  written  for  tho  Providence  (la/ette  nnd 
Country  Jonriml.  It  was  inserted  in  two  miecessivo  Immbcrs  of  that 
paper,  Oe.toher  (>  nnd  UJ,  17H7.  Mr.  Hrown  circulated  copies  of 
these  papers  among  the  most  influential  statesmen  of  the  laud.  The 
letters  which  follow  disclose  the  celebrity  which  this  Essay  attained, 
nnd  the  importance  attached  to  it.  It  is  written  in  n  more  pungent 
and  racy  style  than  IH  generally  ascribed  to  tho  Newport  metaphy 
sician.  It  is  now  rcpublishcd  in  tho  Tract  Society's  edition  of 
Hopkins's  Works. 

To  Dr.  Ltv\  llnri,  of  /Won,  Connecticut.  —  "  November  27, 1787.  Rev 
erend  and  Dear  Sir:  I  write  this  to  go  by  Plainfield,  by  General  Pouglaxs. 
By  him  1  send  to  Mr.  Steward  aevcral  newspapers  containing  pieces  respect- 


123 

ing  the  alave  trade,  and  hare  desired  him  to  trwwmit  thorn  to  you,  Perhnpt, 
if  you  should  think  it  worth  while,  you  might  get  them  reprinted  in  some 
Connecticut  newspaper ;  particularly  tho  law  made  in  thia  Stale  against  the 
slave  trade.  Rhode  Island  is  in  auch  low  credit,  or,  rather,  BO  infamous,  that 
I  IVar  their  example  will  not  have  much  influence,  oven  when  they  do  that 
which  is  worthy  of  imitation.  Is  it  not  extraordinary,  that  this  State,  which 
has  exceeded  the  rest  of  the  Stated  in  carrying  on  this  trade,  should  bo  tho 
first  Legislature  on  this  globe  which  has  prohibited  that  trade  ?  Lot  them  have 
tho  praise  of  this  ;  especially  as  tho  Assembly  were  so  nearly  unanimous,  there 
bring  butyour  dissenting  voices.  If  Boston  and  Connecticut  should  not  join 
us  in  this,  I  fe;ir  thin  law  will  soon  be  like  some  other  JVtodt  Island  laws.  * 

To  Dr.  /x-tn  Hart.  —  "  November  27,  at  evening,  1787.  Dear  Sir :  I  have 
received  a  letter  from  Mr.  Moses  Brown,  of  Providence,  which  I  conclude  to 
enclose  to  you,  with  twelve  pages  which  contain  Crt'/o,  which  lie  mentions, 
and  which  I  mentioned  in  my  letter  of  to-day,  as  conveyed  to  Mr.  Steward, 
desiring  him  to  put  it  into  your  Imndn.  Moses  Brown  is  a  man  of  u  respecta 
ble  character,  as  an  honest,  sensible  man.  Ho  i*  a  man  of  interest.  Ho  was 
not  educated  a  Quaker,  but  joined  that  sect  some  years  ago.  Ho  is  brother 
to  tho  famous  John  Brown,  tho  rich  merchant  in  I'rovidcuco.f  This  Moses 
was  once  concerned  in  the  slave  trade;  but  for  many  yours  has  been  con 
vinced  of  tho  iniquity  of  it,  and  his  sin  in  practising  it  has  lain  heavy  on  his 
conscience.  He  thinks  it  his  duty  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  put  a  stop  to  tliis 
traffic,  and  an  end  to  tho  shivery  of  Africans,  and  to  assist  them  to  obtain  their 
freedom,  in  all  the  ways  he  can.  And  ho  is  active  and  unwearied  in  his  en 
deavors  to  promote  these  ends.  And  I  must  say,  that  lie  and  a  number  of  his 
brethren,  who  join  him  in  this  matter,  have  acted  a  judicious,  faithful,  ar:l 
honorable  part,  Wo  have  no  men  of  any  other  denomination  in  Uieso  Stated, 
who  appear  so  conscientious,  discerning,  faithful,  and  zealous,  in  this  matter, 
as  these  Quakers  do;  or  who,  in  this  resjx'ct,  show  HO  much  of  a  Christian 
spirit.  If  we  had  a  number  of  men  of  influence  of  this  stamp  in  every  Stato, 
the  slave  trade  and  shivery  would  bo  noon  abolished.  You  will  HOC  by  his 
letter  what  he  desires  of  me.  You  are  the  only  man  I  can  apply  to  in  Con 
necticut,  with  a  view  of  answering  any  end  respecting  this  matter.  You  havo 
access  to  some  gentlemen  of  influence.  The  Governor  lives  near  you,  and 
(you]  can  communicate  any  thing  you  please  on  this  subject  to  him.  Ksquiro 
Sherman  is  an  honest  man,  and  his  influence  is  great;. and  there  are,  doubt 
less,  others  whom  you  know.  There  are,  doubtless,  clergymen,  with  whom 
you  have  such  connection  that  you  may  excite  them  to  use  their  influence  in 
opposition  to  the  slave  trade,  if  it  be  true  that  they  are  now  carrying  it  on  in 
Connecticut.  You  will  do  what  you  think  prudence  and  duty;  and  this  in  all 
that  I  con  expect  or  desire.  I  huve  been  truly  ashamed,  that  the  clergy  in  th^so 
States,  and  in  New  Knglnnd  in  particular,  have  not,  unitedly  nnd  publicly, 
borne  testimony  against  this  trade  nnd  the  slavery  of  Africans.  If  the  minis 
ters  of  the  gospel  would  now  join  in  general,  or  Ivy  particular  associations,  to 
petition  the  (ienernl  Assembly  to  suppress  this  trade,  in  imitation  of  the  Qua 
kers  in  this  State,  I  think  they  would  act  a  part  which  is  very  becoming  to 
them,  —  yea,  their  incumbent  duty,  and  honorable  to  their  character.  AH  to 
publishing  tho  CVi/o,  &c..,  which  I  have  mentioned  in  my  letter  of  this  day, 

•  The.  preceding  oeriion,  nnd  iilso  tho  present,  develop  some  Inconsistency  in  the 
legislation  of  llhode  Island,  willj  regard  to  the  ulavo  system.  This  vacillating  policy 
nnnoyed  tho  good  divine, 

t  John  llrown  laid  the  corner  stone  of  the  flrM  building  erected  in  Providence  for 
Khodo  Island  College.  Tho  second  building  erected  for  the  collego  w«»  named  in  honor 
of  a  niece  of  MUNCH  llrown  ;  and  tho  collego  iuelf  bears  its  presen;  appellation  in 
memory  of  hi«  nephow,  Nicholas.  There  were  four  brother*,  nil  eminent  men,  of  whom 
Hones  was  the  youngest.  Ho  was  on  honor  to  human  nature,  nnd  it  i*  plcnsiuil  to 
reflect,  that  nmid  tho  deep  poverty  of  Hopkins,  he  was  so  intimalo  with  a  Quaker  of 
Much  princely  fortune  and  inuro  thuu  princely  virtue.  Sco  Cicnculugy  of  a  Portion  of 
tho  llrown  Family,  pp.  G,  7.  Providence,  1851. 


124  MEMOIR. 

and  which  Mr.  Brown  mention*  to  mo,  you  will  judge  what  can  ho  dono  and 
what  i»  bout.  Ho,  yon  will  *co,  otter*  to  ho  at  tho  expense  which  shall  bo 
necessary,  if  any  ;  find  I  nm  not  afraid  to  ho  his  bondsman.  Ho  had  fifty  of 


each  of  tho  nat>ern  on  which  tho  Crito  is  printed  strnck  off  for  him,  nnd  took 
Twins  to  Bond  thorn  to  most  of  the  rcprcsoutativcii  and  [members]  of  tho  Upper 
1  louse,  before  the  meeting  of  tho  Assembly  ;  and  it  in  thought  this  had  con- 


To  Moses  Ilrown. — ."January  5,  1768.  Dear  Sir:  Ramsay's  Essay  camo 
Hafu  to  me,  which  I  rrturn  with  thanks.  I  also  thank  you  for  two  do/en  of  tho 
1'rovidonco  (Ja/.ette,  and  for  your  letter  containing  many  particulars  of  which 
I  wan  glad  to  he  informed.  (,  without  delay,  wrote  particularly  to  Mr.  Hart,  in 
Preston,  in  Connecticut,  and  enclosed  your  letter  to  him.  lie  is  an  honest. 
sensible,  active  man,  and  has  a  particular  acquaintance  with  the  (lovernor  of 
that  State,  nnd  with  others  in  public  stations.  Ho  is  ready  to  do  all  in  his 
power  to  put  a  slop  to  the  slave  trade.  1  hope  he  will  bo  able  to  do  some 
thing  which  shall  ellect  the  suppression  of  it  III  that  State.  I  have  also  sent 
Crito'n  Essay  to  Dr.  Cogswell,  in  New  York,  who  is  a  member  of  tin;  African 
Society,  ami  not  one  of  the  least  active.  I  proposed  to  him  to  get  t'rito 
reprinted  in  Home  of  their  public  prints;  and  that  the  society  would  enlarge 
their  plan,  nnd  take  into  it  rnitniVftn  tonbalish  th?  xlttrc  trtulr. 

"Several  days  ago,  one  of  your  committee,  Mr.  Wilkinson,  railed  upon  me, 
nnd  informed  HIM  that  there  was  a  proposal  to  get  C'rUn  reprinted  in  several 
newspapers  in  Boston  Stale,  unless  something  which  might  more  particular* 
ly  be  adapted  to  that  State  might  be  published.  I  told  him  I  had  not  thought 
o|'  any  thing  that  would,  in  my  view,  bo  worth  saying,  which  wns  not 
contained  in  that  Kssay;  but  1  would  think  of  the  matter,  and  if  any  thiirg 
should  occur  to  my  mind  on  that  head,  I  would  inform  you,  as  I  should  write 
to  you  the  first  opportunity.  In  this  view,  1  have  attended  to  it  ;  and  have, 
added  two  marginal  notes,  which  I  send  to  yon  with  the  papers  containing  the 
M^say.  I  am  tar  from  being  confident  that  it  is  best,  or  worth  while,  to  insert 
them,  especially  the  lirst,  but  leave  it  with  you  and  your  friends  to  determine 
as  you  think  best.  OHO  objection  against  inserting  them  is,  that, it  will 
lengthen  the  Mssay,  which  is  now  almost  too  long  to  be  inserted  in  a  news 
paper,  lint  I  do  not  find  myself  able  to  abridge  it.  If  yon  should  get  tho 
Kssny  reprinted,  as  proposed,  nnd  think  of  inserting  those  marginal  notes,  I 
give  you  full  liberty  to  make  any  alteration  in  them,  by  adding  or  subtract 
ing,  as  y  HI  shall  think  best." 

To  .1/u.vi.f  Itnurn,  —  "  I'Yhriinry  ~."»,.17SH.  My  Kind  Friend  :  When  I  wrote 
you  I  my]  last,  [letter],  which  went  with  UamsayV  Mssay,  I  informed  you  that 
1  had  forwarded  your  letter  to  me,  with  Critn  on  Slave  Trade,  to  Mr.  Hart,  in 
Connecticut.  1  have  since  had  a  letter  from  him,  informing  that  tho  printers 
of  newspapers  in  Norwich  and  Hartford  have  engaged  to  print  it  in  their  re 
spective  papers,  without,  cost.  And  that  he  shall  exert  himself 'to  the  utmost, 
and  uso  all  the  intluenco  he  has,  against  the  slave  tratle.  And  he  adda 
the  following:  *1  hope  the  ellorts  of  the  honest  and  respectable  society  of 
/ViYw/rf,  in  the  cause  of  humanity,  may  bo  successful,  to  the  extirpation  of 
the  slave  trade  from  these  States.'  1  have  lately  received  a  .letter  from  l)r. 
Cogswell,  of  New  York,  a  member  of  tho  African  Society  there,  to  whom  1 
sent  a  copy  of  (V/Yo,  &e.  I  will  transcribe  a  paragraph  or  two  from  him  :  '  1 
thank  you  tor  tin;  newspapers  containing  (Yi'/o'.v  Mssay.  The  African  Society 
hero  have  agreed  to  petition  the  Legislature  of  this  State  for  a  law  to  prevent 
the  exportation  and  importation  of  negroes.  Crilo  will  be  published  about 
the  time  tin1  petition  is  presented.  The  society  hen;  ore  using  every  measure 
that  prudence  dictates  to  put  a  stop  to  the  slave  trade.  Their  exertions  have 
already  been  attended  with  very  considerable  elfects.  The  minds  of  people 
are  more  awakened,  and  they  think  more  liberally  on  tho  subject.'  I  am 
sorry  it  is  not  in  my  power  to  scud  you  copies  of  several  letters  our  society 
have  received  from  the  African  Society  in  linden.  Hut  thin  must  bo  omittcil 


MEMOIR.  125 

till  another  opportunity.  Thoso  would  give  you  the  information  YOU  wish 
respecting  the  proposed  settlement  on  the  const  of  Africa,  I  can  only  inform 
you  now,  thnt  hvo  ships  liavo  actually  flailed  for  tho  purpose  of  making  a  set 
tlement  there,  and  that  tho  society  in  London  seem  much  engaged  to  put  a 
final  period  to  tlvii  iniquitous  traffic.  For  thin  purpose,  they  nave  sent  Mr. 
Clarkson  (autlior  of  Essay,  &c.)  into  various  parts  of  Uie  kingdom  of  Great  lirit- 
ain,  to  collect  nmterinls  to  Itiy  before  thn  public,  that  the  evil  may  be  exposed  as 
fully  an  possible.  4  They  dosiro  us  to  present  them  with  all  the  information 
we  can  on  tho  subject ;  and  likewise  to  inform  them  how  those  negroes  be 
have  that  Imvo  been  liberated,  I  wish  you,  sir,  to  givo  me  all  the  intelligence 
you  can,  on  those  points,  from  your  State  and  from  Massachusetts1,1  I  tran 
scribe  the  last  clause  to  open  the  wuy  to  desire  you  to  give  mo  whrvt  informa 
tion  you  can,  respecting  '  these  points,'  from  Providence  or  any  other  purts. 
And  if  you  should  go  to  Boston  soon,  or  have  opportunity  to  send  by  any  of 
your  friends,  I  wish  you  to  take  measures  to  get  information  from  thence. 
Mr.  Kckley  is  most  acquainted  with  the  blncks  there  of  any  man  I  know,  and 
is  most,  likely  to  give  tlie  desired  information  respecting  the  freed  blacks." 

To  Moses  7?ro /<•»«.  —  "September  21,  17H8.  My  much  respected  Friend:  I 
received  your  late  letter,  and  thnnk  you  for  tho  intelligence  contained  in  it, 
and  the  enclosed  paper  and  pumplilotrt,  I  enclosed  yo.ir  letter,  with  tho  peti 
tion  of  the  clergy,  &c.,  in  Boston,  to  the  (itueral  Court,  and  the  Providence 
1>nper  which  contains  the  law  lately  made,  in  Pennsylvania,  to  Mr.  Hart,  of 
'rostou,  desiring  him  to  forward  them  to  Dr.  Kdwards,  of  New  Huveu;  which 
lie  writes  me  ho  shall  do  by  the  first  opportunity.  I  have  lately  had  authentic 
information,  that  the  General  Association,  which  is  composed  of  members 
delegated  from  each  particular  Association  of  clergy  in  tho  State  of  Connecti 
cut,  and  which  was  convened  lust  June,  unanimously  agreed  to  present  a  me 
morial  and  petition,  in  the  name  of  all  the  clergy  in  that  State,  to  the  next 
General  Assembly,  which  will  sit  next  month,  in  New  Haven,  praying  that  a 
law  may  bo  made,  to  prohibit  the  slave  trade  in  that  State;  anil  that  they  ap 
pointed  a  committee,  of  whom  Dr.  Kdwards  was  one,  to  draw  up  said  petition, 
and  they  adjourned  to  New  Haven,  to  meet  there  this  month  to  sign  it.  I  nm 
glad  to  hear  that,  you,  with  a  number  of  your  friends,  haye  proposed  to  apply 
to  Ur.it  Assembly  on  the  same  subject.  I  have  no  doubt  of  your  succeeding. 

Tho  first  society  in  tin;  world,  for  tho  nbolitiou  of  slavery,  seems 
to  litive  been  formed  in  Philadelphia.*  A  few  Quakcm  of  that  city 
met  often,  in  1771,  for  tho  purpose  of  devising  n  scheme  for  the  re 
lief  of  the  negroes.  They  formed  u  society,  April  11,  1775,  This 
Kociely  was  resuscitated  in  April,  1781,  and  still  u  new  impulse  was 
given  to  it  in  17H7,  when  Benjamin  Frnnklin  was  chosen  its  Presi 
dent.  Tho  second  society  wan  formed  in  New  York,  January  !25, 
1785.  The  third  was  formed  in  Rhode  Island,  and  of  courso  en 
gaged  the  interest  of  Mr.  Hopkins  more  than  the  other  two.  Tho 
Maryland  Abolition  Society,  likewise,  was  instituted  in  17HD.  The 
Connecticut  Society  was  instituted  September  I),  1700 ;  of  which  Dr. 
Stiles  was  President,  ami  Judgo  Baldwin  was  Secretary.  In  the 

•  A  society  win  formed  in  England  by  VVillwrforce,  Sir  Joshua  Reynolds,  and  oth 
ers,  May  "'J,  17:17,  for  tho  ulmlilion  of  tho  slave  tr»<l«;  but  it  refused  to  comply  with 
tho  solicitation  of  (Jrnnvillo  Sharp,  niul  to  include  in  iti  olyeoU  tho  entire  abolition  of 
slavery.  See  Princo  Ilonro's  Life  of  Sharp,  part  iv.  eh.  ii.  Six  of  tho  English  Friends 
bad  united  in  n  kind  of  informal  society  for  "  the  relief  and  liberation  of  the  negro 
•lavct  in  tho  West  Indies,  and  for  tho  discourngvmcnt  of  tho  slave  trade  on  the  coast 
of  Africa,"  as  early  as  July  7,  1103.  See  CJorkiou'i  History,  p.  95. 


MEMOIR. 

formntion  of  this  uociety,  Dr.  ITnrt  wa§  very  active,  find  wns  np- 
pointed  to  preach  tho  annual  sermon  before  it  in  171I2/  Virginia  nnd 
New  Jersey  fonnoU  Abolition  Societies  in  or  about  1701. 

It  is  said  by  one  who  resided  at  tho  time  in  Mr.  Hopkina's  family, 
tliat  tho  first  meeting  for  consultation,  with  regard-  to  nn  Abolition 
Society  in  New  England,  WttsMield  in  tho  largo  front  parlor  of  his 
house.  Several  gentlemen  from  Providence  were  presetit.  The 
Society,  however,  was  not  formally  organized  there.  The  reason  may 
have  been,  that  it  would  have  met  a  more  violent  opposition  in  New 
port  than  in  Providence.  It  was  regularly  formed  at  Providence, 
February  ~0,  1TH9.  A  member  of  tho  old  Congress,  Jiulge  David 
Howell,  was  its  first  President,  and  (Governor  Arthur  Fenner  one 
of  its  Standing  Committee.  Mr.  Hopkins  was  not  pleased  with 
Home  articles  of  its  Constitution.  He  desired  that  "a  door  [should] 
be  fully  open,  for  persons  in  any  of  the  New  England  States  to  be 
come  members"  of  it.  Tho  following  is  from  one  of  his  character 
istic,  large-hearted  letters  on  the  subject,  to  Moses  llrown  : 

"March  7,  17(^0.  Denr  Sir:  I  Imvo,  with  pleasure,  noon  tho  progress  you 
have  niiulo  iu  forming  the  society  for  tho  Abolition  of  Slavery,  nnil  tniHt  it 
will  answer  important  tjood  ends.  Hut  1  have  objections  to  the  titl'r  you  Imvo 
given  tlie  society:  'The  Providence  Society  for  Abolishing  tlie  Slave  Trade.' 
I  think  this  in  too  confined.  It  should,  at  least,  b'e  extended  to  tlie  tr/io/c  State. 
And  1  think  it  ought  not  to  bo  confined  to  tho  abolition  of  the  sluvc  truth.  It 
ought  to  promote  the  freedom  of  those  now  in  slavery,  and  to  assist  those  who 
nrc  free,  as  far  as  may  bo,  to  tho  enjoyment  of  tho  privileges  of  freemen,  nnd 
the  comforts  of  life.  Those  are,  indeed,  expressed  in  the  preamble;  but  why 
should  they  not  come  into  tho  title  of  tho  society?  However,  I  do  not  so 
much  insist  upon  the  l<tst  objection  as  upon  tho  Jirst.  I  told  Mr.  Wilkinson, 
who  nskod  me  to  set  mv  name  to  the  constitution,  that  T  was  ready  to  do  it,  if, 
instead  of  /VonVnirc,  Rhode  Island  or  'tho  Stato  of  Rhode  Island  might  bo 
inserted,  and  that.  I  would  nigii  it  on  that  condition,  that  this  alteration  should 
ho  made;  and  if  it  were  not,  I  would  have  liberty  to  withdraw  my  Huhscrip- 
tioa.  lie  appeared  to  bo  convinced,  from  the  reasons  I  ollered,  that  tho  pro- 
noscd  alteration  oujjht  to  bo  made,  and  said  it  wij,rht  easily  bo  done.  Mr. 
Thomas  Robinson  and  William  Almy  were  present,  and  agreed  with  luo. 
And  I  suppose,  all  who  aro  willing  to  subscribe,  in  this  town,  and  in' this  part 
of  tho  State,  will  insist  upon  thin  alteration."  * 

At  Providence,  the  Abolition  Society  was  not  without  its  powerful 
enemies.  They  asserted  that  it  injured  tho  reputation  of  tho  slave 
traders,  some  of  whom  were  •'  tho  best  citi/ens  of  Newport ;  "  it 
injured  the  character  of  the  slaves  by  inducing  them  to  run  away  ; 
it  tended  to  prevent  the  slave  trade,  which  was  n  real  benefit  to  the 
Africans,  as  it  saved  them  from  the  barbarities  of  their  native  land 

*  Notwithstanding  these  riuly  objections,  Hopkins  did  become  a  member  of  tho 
nociety,  nnd  ns  such  delivered  n  sermon  before  it,  in  17U3.  Its  name  wn§,  ultimately, 
**  Tho  Providence  Society  for  Promoting  the  Abolition  of  Slnvery,  for  the  Relief  of 
Persons  unlawfully  held  in  Ilondngc,  nnd  for  Improving  the  Condition  of  tho  African 
Race."  It  contained,  in  175)0,  one  hundred  nnd  eighteen  members,  of  whom  sixty-eight 
Jived  in  Massachusetts,  and  three  in  Connecticut.  Jonathan  Kdwnfrds  was  one  of  thoio 
ihrcc.  —  A  deep  jcaknuy  prevailed  at  ihii  time  between  Providcnc%  and  Newport, 


MEMOIR*  127 

and  introduced  them  into  civilized  regions:  the  spirit  of  the  society 
wax  adverse  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  one  article  of 
which  was  made  on  purpose  «« to  prevent  the  injustice  which  thin  society 
and  thar  adherent*  "  are  practising.  A  bold  assault  was  made  upon 
the  personal  character  of  some  officers  of  the  society.  To  all  this 
Moses  JJrown  replied,  with  the  beautiful  culmncgg  which  ever  adorned 
his  mild  lifo.  Judge  Howell  came  to  the  rescue  with  his  keen  ar 
gument  and  his  Intinity  of  style.  The  opposition  was  the  more 
.serious,  because  the  "  Citi/.en "  who  prompted  it  was  one  of  the 
most  powerful  men  in  the  State.  At  the  close  of  the  uftYuy,  Hop- 
Kins  sent  the  following  letters  to  Moses  Brown: 

"  March  HO,  178D.  I  wrote  to  my  much  respected  friend,  several  weeks 
ngo,  winch  [letter]  I  hope  you  havo  received.  I  inn  sorry  to  sec  the  unhappy 
quarrel  which  II;IH  taken  place,  nt  Providonco.  I  have  the  pleasure,  however, 
of  believing  that  tho  mad  opposition  the  '(V/j'roi'  is  making  to  the  Abolition 
Societv,  and  particular  mrmibcrfl'of  it,  will  he  the  moans  of  strengthening  it, 
nnd  of  promoting  the  design  for  which  it  has  been  formed.  I  nin  pleased  to 
find  you  are  enabled  to  maintain  such  a  decree  of  calmness  and  fortitudes  un 
der  the  abuse  which  you  and  your  friends  Imvo  received  from  one  who,  unpro 
voked,  is  casting  firebrands,  arrows,  and  death,  and  lighting  with  creatures  of 
his  own  imagination.  —  I  have  lately  received  letters  from  Philadelphia,  and  I 
suppose  you  also  have.  The  Corresponding  Committee  of  the  Abolition  So 
ciety  there,  rejoice  to  find  a  society  is  formed  in  Providence.  They  will  do 
all  They  can  to  assist  and  strengthen  our  hands.  They  have  sent  me  tin  ac 
count  of  a  similar  society  lately  formed  in  Washington,  in  that  State,  which 
they  desire  may  be  printed  in  some  New  England  newspaper.  Eden  has  en 
couraged  me  ho  will  insert  it  in  his  paper,  this  week.  If  ho  should  not,  I 
shall  send  it  to  you.  If  lie  should,  I  wish  you  to  get  it  printed  in  one  or  both 
of  the  Providence  papers.  I  have  also  been  desired  to  publish  the  names  of 
the  Corresponding  Committee  in  Philadelphia,  which  perhaps  you  will  think 
proper  to  h:ivo  published  in  [the]  Providence  papers.  I  am  desired  to  inform 
my  friends  at  Philadelphia,  whether  Dr.  Hitchcock  and  Mr.  West,  who  are 
corresponding  members  of  the  Abolition  Society  in  Pennsylvania,  have  joined 
the  society  tit  Providence;  or  what  part  they  have  noted  in  the  a  Hair.  I  must 
depend  on  you  for  information  respecting  them.  1  have  heard  that  i)r.  II.  de 
clined  joining,  at  first;  but  what  part  he  has  acted  since,  I  have  not  been  in 
formed  ;  or  for  what  reasons  he  declined  joining  in  the  first  formation  of  the 
society.  Since  I  saw  Mr.  Wilkinson,  [Ij  Imvo  not  heard  what  additions  ure 
innde  to  the  society,  or  how  many  joined,  in  Ne.wport,  or  parts  adjacent.  I 
am  sonsihlo  that  the  combination  and  inlluenco  in  this  town  is  strongly  cxort- 
/  ed  against  it;  nnd  many,  ulio  reprobate  the  slave  trade  and  slavery,  in  their 
own  mind.*,  do  not  choose  to  appear  openly  against  it,  because  they  feel  them- 
selves,  in  some  way,  dependent  on  those  whom  they  should  hereby  olVend." 

44  August  17,  178!).  Much  respected  Friend:  T  also  think  it  proper,  and  of 
importance,  that  the  design  of  the  society  should  be  expressed  so  ns  to  com 
prehend,  not  only  '  The  •flbolishing  the  Slave  Trade?  but  lite  protection  and  as- 
xi.ifanrf.  of  thn.tr  Marks  who  arc  free.  They  nte,  most  of  them,  exposed  to  be 
injured,  many  Mays.  And  they  want  direction  and  assistance  in  many  in 
stances.  And  if  a  way  should  be  opened  for  their  settling  in  Africa,  and  the  so 
ciety  should,  in  any  time  hereafter,  be  able  to  promote  and  assist  them  in  such 
n  design,  it  would  bo  desirable  that  it  might  be  done  consistent  with  the  ex 
press  design  of  the  society.*  What  attention  has  been  paid  by  the  society's 

*  Hero  is  a  second  allusion  to  the  writer's  colonization  scheme.  It  deserve*  to  bo 
recorded,  that  the  rroviJeuco  Abolition  Society  not  only  ndoptcd  measure*,  such  a*  iho 


128  MBMOZR.  jv^ 

committee  to  tho  slave  trade?  M  carried  on  in  thia  town,  I  know  not.  There 
is  no  informing  or  corresponding  committee  hcre^  I  suppose.  I  have  heard  it 
observed,  thnt  it  would  be  proper  to  have  a  committee,  or  some  of  the  commit- 
too,  here.  Hut  I  question  whether  that  would  answer  any  pood  end.  Tho 
combined  opposition  is  BO  great  and  strong  here,  that,  I  think,  no  committee 
formed  in  this  town  would  bo  able  to  do  much;  and  if  there  Hhould  bo  any 
proper  prosecutions,  they  must  be  carried  on  in  Providence.  However,  there 
might  be  a  corresponding  committee  here.  But  tho  wisdom  of  those  who 
meet,  will  beat  determine-  thin." 


"  November  18,  1789.  Dear  Sir:  I  learn  that  it  is  a  question  before  tho 
society,  Whether  any  uroHocutions  shall  bo  commenced  against  those  whoso 

vessels  sailed  on  the  slave  trade,  bfjbrc  the  institution  of  the  jpnY/v,  but  since 
the  law  mude  in  thin  St«tn  took  place.  It  appears  to  mo,  and  I  believe  to 
most  of  tho  members  in  this  town,  if  not  to  all,  thnt  if  .this  question  should  bo 
determined  in  tho  negative,  tho  consequence  will  bo  very  hurtful  to  tho  soci 
ety,  if  not  fatal.  Tho  past  neglect  to  prosecute,  and  the  known  hesitation  re 
specting  it,  has  had  a  great  and  apparent  rfTrct  already.  The.  slave  traders 
aru  more  bold  and  resolute  to  go  on  in  the  trade,  and  entertain  a  low  and  con 
temptuous  thought  of  the  society.  And  if  the  prosecutions  in  question  should 
be  finally  dropped,  I  am  confident  it  will  wink  the  society  in  tno  view  of  the 
public  in  general,  and  we  shall  lose  our  influence,  and  the.  design  of  the  insti 
tution  will  be,  in  a  great  measure,  drfeated.  I  think  that  lenity  in  this  case, 
or  any  tiling  that,  looks  like  irresolution,  neglect,  and  dilatorincss,  will  fix  a 
slur  on  tho  society  which  cannot  easily  be  wiped  of}',  but  will  sink  it  into  dis 
credit.  Perhaps  you  and  others  have  formed  a  di  (IV  rent  and  bettor  judgment, 
on  reasons  which  do  not  occur  to  me.  But  I  thought  it  duty  thus  freely  to 
express  mine,  trusting  it  will  not  givo  any  oflence.  Mr.  Hart  informed  me 
that  a  number  of  merchants  in  Norwich  .have  lately  gone,  into  tho  slave  trade. 
But  it  is  under  such  cover,  that  he  knows  not  that  such  evidence  of  tho  act 
c:m  be  obtained  as  to  atlord  ground  for  a  legal  prosecution.  Perhaps  tamo 
will  bring  forth  evidence." 

"March  11,  17!H).  Dear  Sir:  I  havo  just  received  yours  of  tho  first  instant, 
l>y  Mr.  HuHum,  and  thank  you  tor  the  communication.  1  think  the  matter 
ought  to  be  pursued  to  efVect,  if  tho  negro  can  bo  recovered  by  law,  or  [tho 
'  Citizen']  mrulo  to  suiVer  tho  rigor  of  the  law  for  the  good  of  other*.  I  am 
no  lawyer,  so  cannot  assist  in  pointing  out  the  method  in  which  the  case  ought 
to  he  prosecuted,  but  trust  you  havo  men  ablo  to  counsel,  at  Providence.  Mr. 
Merchant  *  is  not  in  town.  If  he  were,  I  would  luy  the  matter  before  him, 
nnd  see  what  hn  [would]  say  uj>on  it.  It  is  high  time  [this  4  Citizen  ']  wan 
taken  down  a  little.  f  (Jrnnvillo  Sharp,  Esq.  has  sent  to  me  several  copies  of 
'A  Short  Sketch  of  Temjxmiry  Regulations,  &c.'  I  present  one  to  you,  to 
uso  it  and  disjnwo  of  it  as  you  think  proper." 

It  has  hem  common  to  speak  of  Hopkinsinnism  us  an  impracti 
cable  scheme.  Hopkins  himself,  however,  must  bo  considered  a 
practical  man.  It  was,  doubtless,  n  sclf-deiiiul  for  him  to  leave  Ins 
studies  in  theology,  and  mingle  with  the  polities  of  tho  day.  Tho 
preceding  letters  indicate  tho  soul  with  which  lie  engaged  in  pe 
titioning  legislatures,  encouraging  legal  prosecutions,  etc.  Ho  waa 
evidently  the  man  in  Ilbodo  Island,  to  whom  appeals  wcro  mndo 

memorialising  of  Congress   nud  various   State  Legislatures  for  tho  prevention  of  the 

uluvo  trullic,  luit  was  also  energetic  in  protecting  free  blacks,  \vlio  wcrd  oAcn  assailed  in       >--'\ 

the  street,  kidnapped,  nud  scut  from  Rhode  Island  to  other  States. 

*   Hon.  Henry  Marchant,  l.L.  I).,  District  Judge,  on  intiinntc  friend  of  Dr.  Stiles. 

if  Thii  could  Ivo  more  easily  proposed  limn  aceomplufied,  for  the  gentleman  alluded* 
to  WAI  one  of  tho  most  eminent  men  ia  New  England. 

\ 


MEMOIR.  129 

from  the  North  and  the  South,  with  regard  to  eron  the  details  of 
political  action  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  It  is  not  to  be  inferred, 
that  he  deemed  it  wise  to  make  himself  prominent  in  all  political 
disputes.  He  stepped  on  the  arena  of  civil  strife,  only  when  tin 
cause  of  religion  seemed  to  demand  his  intervention.  .  He  knew  how 
to  make  exceptions  to  a  rule.  This  knowledge  is  a  great  part  of 
what  is  called  *»  common  sense" 


SKCT.  XXXV.    CIIRISTIANI7ATION  OF  AFRICA. 

The  influence  of  this  reformer  in  lessening  the  evils  of  slavery 
proceeded  not  alone  from  his  direct  animadversions  on  the  system, 
but  also  from  his  scheme  for  planting  the  institutions  of  the  gonpcl 
upon  tho  African  continent.  His  effort*  in  prosecuting  thid  scheme, 
awakened  the  attention  of  many  Americans  and  Itritons  to  the  im* 
portance  of  abolishing  tho  whole  hlave  system.  There  is  nri  inti 
mate  union  between  evangelizing  the  African  when  at  home,  and 
freeing  him  from  his  chains  when  abroad.  It  was  religious  principle 
that  prompted  Hopkins  to  his  cflorts  against  slavery,  and  these 
eilbrts  were  allied  with  an  attempt  to  infuse  a  religious  principle  into 
others.  Soon  after  his  installation  at  Newport,  in  1770,  he  formed 
a  plan  for  sending  the  gospel  to  Africa.  After  ho  had  matured  it  in 
his  own  mind,  he  held  a  consultation  on  the  subject  with  his  theo 
logical  opponent,  Dr.  Stiles.*  Tho  Doctor  at  first  viewed  the  plan 
with  indilVerence,  not  to  say  distrust.  His  suspicion  that  Hopkins 
was  desirous  of  trying  an  experiment  with  tho  «'  New  Divinity " 
upon  the  dark  natives  of  (Juinea  may,  of  right,  provoke  a  smile.  In 
Stiles'tt  Literary  Diary,  we  read: 

"April  8,  177M.  Yesterday  Mr.  Ilopkinn  cnmo  to  sno  mo  and  discourse 
with  nio -on  a  design  ho  is  meditating,  to  nuiko  MOIMO  negro  ministers  and  send 
thorn  to  (jtiinoa.  Mr.  Hopkins  supposes  tho  great  reason  why  tho  gospel  is 
not  received,  is  because  it  is  mixed  with  HO  many  false  glosses.  Ho  believes 
tho  Moravian*  have  no  Christianity,  —  most  Christian*  embrace  delusions;  — 
and  1  never  find  him  approving  tho  doctrines  usually  preached  in  any  churches 
now  in  Christendom,  whether  Congregational,  Presbyterian,  or,  &c.  He 
lookri'upon  all  the  Protestant  churches  and  ministers  in  general,  UH  so  errone 
ous*  and  corrupt,  that  their  preaching  tends  directly  to  spread  delusion,  and 
lend  souls  religiously  down  to  hell.  This  is  his  opinion,  to  bo  sure,  of  most  of 
the  New  Knghnd  ministers ;  except  forty  or  fifty,  out  of  five  or  six  hundred 
ministers.  There  nre  about  twenty  or  twenty-tivo  ministers  who  fall  in  with 
Mr.  Hopkins's  peculiarities,  and  twenty  more  who  admire  Mr.  Edwards'* 
writings,  and  have  a  hearty  friendship  for  Mr.  Hopkins,  though  rather  as  they 
aro  friends  to  all  Calviuists,  than  for  all  his  singularities.!  I  suppose  there 

•  Thi*  amiable  gentleman  had  been  in  n  worse  condemnation  tlinn  Edwards,  Rcllumy, 
or  Hopkins,  with  regard  to  slavery  j  for  lie  had  not  only  owned,  but  also  imported  fresh 
from  Africa  a  slave,  whom,  however,  lio  afterwards  freed. 

f  Dr.  Hlilcs  hero  expresses  the  general  opinion  of  his  times  with  rejfard  to  the  differ 
ence  between  Kdwurdeiin  or  Hopkinsian  Calvinism,  and  tho  ordinary  Calvinism  of  New 
England.  Every  body  regarded  Edwards  and  Hopkins  as  introducing  a  now  phnsis  of 
Calvinism. 


ISO  MEMOIR. 

arc  thrco  or  four  hundred  more  true  Calvinist  ministers  in  Now  England,  irho 
disclaim  theno  peculiarities.  I  do  not  find  that  Mr.  Hopkins  speaks  with  ap 
probation  of  any  of  them,  though  I  rnther  think  that  ho  esteems  Home  of  them,* 
Vet  ho  in  evidently  endeavoring  to  conciliate  them,  as  a  distinct  body  among 
tho  churches.  But  ho  does  not  meet  with  that  success  in  propagating  hia 
eentimcnts  in  New  England  which  ho  would  wish.  And  Dr.  Witherepoon, 
and  the  Synods  to  tho  southward  in  general,  ere  against  him.  I  have  thought, 
whether  ho  )md  not.  an  inclination  that  the  experiment  of  his  principles  should 
be  tried  on  heat  hen  Africans.  There  are  two  negro  men,  communicant*  in 
his  church,  that  ho  is  disposed  to  train  up  for  this  end.  The  one  is  Quamine, 
a  free  negro,  and  tho  other,  Yamma,  a  servant.  Now,  if  ho  could  engage 
some  respectable  persons  to  join  in  forwarding  this  a  flair,  lie  thinks  it  would 
lay  a  foundation  of  Christianizing  the  Africans  on  principles  to  his  mind.  He 
wants,  then-fore,  to  contrive  that  theso  two  negroes  should  bo  taken  under 
tuition,  perfected  in  reading  tho  Scriptures,  and  taught  systematical  divinity, 
inul  HO  ordained  nnd  sent  forth,  I  told  him  tint  if  thirty  or  forty  proper  ntid 
well-instructed  negroes  could  be  procured,  true  Christ  in  DM,  and  inspired  with 
tho  spirit  of  martyrdom,  and  go  forth  [expecting  that]  j  ten  or  a  do/en  of  them 
should  meet,  death  in  tho  cause,  and  this  conducted  by  a  Hocioty  formed  for 
tho  purpose,  then?  might  be  a  hopeful  prospect.  Hut  even  this,  I  {'eared, 
would  be  taken  up  by  the  public  and  Roculan/.ed,  as  Dr.  Wheelock's  Indian 
College,  which  has  already  almost  lost  sight  of  its  original  design  ;  that  if 
olio  or  two  Hhould  be  sent  thither  by  Presbyterians,  I  could  foresee  a  vigorous 
opposition  soon  arising  from  th-o  Episcopalian  traders,  and  from  Mr.  Qiwque, 
a  negro  minister,  already  sent  there  from  the  Church  of  England.  So  we 
left,  tho  mnttor  to  further  thought  and  consideration.  Mr.  Hopkins  desired 
mo  to  talk  with  Quamine,  and  examine  his  abilities,  which  1  Riid  I  was 
ready  to  do. 

"  April  KL  Last  evening,  Quainino  came  to  nee  me,  to  discourse  upon  tho 
scheme  of  his  becoming  a  minister.  lie  tells  me  that  he  was  born  at  Anna- 
maboe,  on  tho  African  (Sold  Coast;  that  when  he  was  about  ten  years  old,  hia 

father  delivered  him  to  Captain  ,  to  bring  him  to  Rhode  Island  for 

learning.  Ho  came  hero  about  eighteen  or  nineteen  years  N  go,  or  175-1  or  1755. 
After  sending  him  to  school  a  while,  tho  captain  sold  him  for  a  slave.  About 
17(!l,  he  fell  under  serious  impressions  of  religion,  and  thenceforward  sought 
todod  by  secret  prayer,  about  three  years.  At  length,  it  pleased  Clod  that  he 
experienced,  as  he  hopes,  a  divine  change,  of  which  he  gave  an  account  to 
Madam  Oshorn,  in  writing,  which  he  addressed  to  her,  datnd  October  H,  17(»-1, 
'dictated  by  Quamine,  and  written  by  his  female  fellow-servant;  and  after 
wards  in  another  to  Deacon  Coggoshall,  which  Mr.  Hopkins  brought  mo 
yesterday.  In  17(55,  he  made  a  profession,  was  hanti/od  by  Rev.  Mr.  Vinall, 
and  admitted  a  member  in  tho  First  Congregational  Church  in  town,  and  has 
behaved  exemplarily  and  soberly  ever  since.  lie  tells  me  that  over  since  ho 
tasted  the  grace  of  tho  Lord  Jesus,  ho  [has  felt  an]  earnest  desire  or  wish 
that  his  relations  and  countryman  in  Africa  might  also  come  to  the  knowledge 
of,  and  taste  tho  same. blessed  things. 

"  I  examined  his  reading,  and  asked  him  what  part  of  the  Hiblo  ho  had  read 
most.  Ho  said,  Matthew,  John,  Romans,  and  Corinthians.  I  turned  him  to 
the  first  chanter  of  John's  (iospel.  He  read  but  indillerently  ;  not  freely,  but 
slowly,  yet  distinctly,  and  pretty  accurately.  I  turned  him  to  the  tenth  chap 
ter,  and  also  [to  the]  ninety-eighth  I'salm,  which  he  read  slowly,  and  though 
not  freely,  yet  distinctly.  'l  advised  him  to  read  tho  Uiblo  in  course,  two  or 

*  Tluit  Mr.  Hopkins  wn»  accustomed  to  take  ratlicr  dark  views  of  hi*  liuicti  thrro 
fnn  ho  no  doubt.  In  u  letter  dated  July  7,  17t><!,  ho  chnructcri/.cs  n  certain  dais  of 
MnHsadmseit*  minUtcr*,  n* '<  nwfully  tunkan  creature*."  Hull,  (he  picture  hero  given 
of  hi  in  by  l>r.  Stiles,  neems  to  be  ovcrihndoil,  The  worthy  diarist  probably  gave  too 
literal  nail  exact  an  interpretation  to  xomo  of  Mr.  Hopkins'*  strong  lunpunpo. 

f  Tho  word*  in  bracket*  arc  substituted  for  an  obscure  phrase  iu  the  original. 


MEMOIR.  131 

three  chnptcra  daily,  to  perfect  himself  in  reading,  whilo,  at  the  panto  time, 
he  would  increase  in  Scripture  knowledge.  He  has  hod  but  little  time  for 
reading;  seldom  any  but  i^ord'a  days.  I  did  not  try  him  a*  to  writing,  but 
ho  said  he  had  begun  to  write  last  winter.  He  is  pretty  judicious,  but  not 
communicative,  and  I  am  doubtful  whether  ho  would  bo  apt  to  tench.  He 
certainly  wants  much  improvement  to  qualify  him  for  the  gospel  ministry,  if, 
indeed,  such  a  tiling  was  advisable." 

The  preceding  narrative  of  Dr.  Stiles  impresses  upon  us  the  con 
viction,  that  the  literary  prospects  of  these  two  candidates  for  the 
ministry  were  somewhat  ominous.  It  is  delightful  to  reflect  on  tho 
resolute,  unwavering,  indomitable  spirit  of  Hopkins,  in  taking  men 
from  this  low  condition,  nml  training  them  for  a  missionary  work  on 
tho  African  continent.  If  tho  wisdom  of  tho  enterprise  bo  doubted, 
its  benevolence  will  bo  admired.  It  did  neeuro  tbo  approbation  of 
the  wisest  men ;  for  they  have  always  known,  that  great  results 
come  from  small  beginnings. 

Dr.  Stiles  bad  a  true  benevolence  of  heart,  and  also  a  profound 
respect  for  tho  divine,  whose  high  Calvinism  bo  disliked.  Ho  en 
tered  at  last  into  a  cordial  union  with  Mr.  Hopkins,  in  promoting  the 
spiritual  good  of  Africa,  nml  he  signed  his  name  to  the  following 
Circular,  which  was  written  mainly  by  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  was  dis 
tributed  among  the  churches  of  Massachusetts  and  Connecticut. 

"To  all  who  arc  desirous  to  promote  tho  kingdom  of  Christ  on  earth,  in  tho 
salvation  of  sinners,  tho  following  narrative  and  proposal  arc  offered,  to  excite 
and  Holicit  their  charity  and  prayers. 

"  There  are  two  colored  men,  members  of  the  First  Congregational  Church 
in  Newport,*  on  Rhode  Island,  mimed  Bristol  Yamnui,  and  John  f^uumin*, 
who  were  hopefully  converted  some  years  ago,  and  have  from  that  time  sus 
tained  a  good  character  as  Christians,  and  have  made  good  proficiency  in 
Christian  knowledge.  The  latter  is  son  of  a  rich  man  at  Annamaboe,  and  was 
sent  by  his  father  to  this  place  for  an  education  among  the  English,  and  then 
to  return  home.  All  this  the  person  to  whom  he  was  committed  engaged  to 
perform,  for  a  good  reward,  lint,  instead  of  being  faithful  to  his  trust,  ho  sold 
ima  a  slave  for  life.  But  (Jod,  in  his  providence,  has  put  it  in  the  power  of 
both  of  them  to  obtain  their  freedom.  Tho  former  is,  however,  fifty  dollars  in 
debt,  as  ho  could  not  purchase  his  freedom  under  two  hundred  dollars;  which 
ho  mu*t  procure  by  his  labor,  unless  relieved  by  tho  charity  of  others. 

"These  persons,  thus  acquainted  with  Christianity,  and  apparently  devotfd 
to  tho  service  of  Christ,  are  about  thirty  years  old;  have  good  natural  abili 
ties;  arc  apt,  steady,  and  judicious,  and  speak  their  native  language,  —  the 
language  of  a  numerous,  potent  nation  in  Guinea,  to  which  they  both  belong. 
They  are  not  only  trilling,  but  very  desirous  to  quit  nil  worldly  prospects,  nn<! 
risk  their  lives  in  attempting  to  open  a  door  for  tho  propagation  of  Christianity 
among  their  poor,  ignorant,  perishing  heathen  brethren. 

"  The  concurrence  of  all  these  things  has  led  to  set  on  foot  a  proposal  to 
send  them  to  Africa,  to  preach  tho  gospel  "there,  if,  upon  trial,  they  shall  ap 
pear  in  any  good  measure  qualified  for  this  business.  In  order  to  thin,  they 
must  bo  put  to  school,  and  taught  to  read  and  write  better  than  they  now  can, 
and  bo  instructed  more  fully  in  divinity,  &c.  And  if,  upon  trial,  they  appear 
to  make  good  proficiency,  and  shall  bo  thought  by  competent  judges  to  DO  fit 

•  This  church,  it  will  b«  recollected,  wai  under  (ho  pastoral  charge  of  Dr.  Hopkins. 


133  MEMOIR. 

for  such  a  mission,  it  is  not  doubted  that  money  may  be  procured  sufficient  to 
carry  tho  design  into  execution. 

"  What  in  now  wanted  and  naked  is  money  to  pay  tho  debt  mentioned,  and 
to  support  them  at  school,  to  make  tho  trial  whether  they  may  bo  fitted  for  tho 
projKised  minion.  Whatever  shall  bo  given  to  this  end,  and  put  into  the 
Lauds  of  tho  subscribers,  they  engage  faith  fully  to  improve  to  this  purpose 
only,  and  to  promote  tho  proposed  mission  according  to  their  best  discretion; 
ami  to  be  at  all  times  ready  to  give  an  account  to  those  who  desire  it,  of  all 
they  shall  receive,  and  tho  manner  in  which  it  has  been  expended. 

"  As  God  has,  in  his  providence,  so  far  opened  tho  way  to  this,  by  raising 
up  these  persons,  and  ordering  tho  remarkable  concurring  circumstances  and 
events  which  have  been  mentioned,  and  there  is,  most  probably,  no  other  in 
stance  in  America,  where  so  many  things  conspire  to  point  out  tho  way  for  a 
mission  of  this  kind,  with  such  encouragement  to  pursue  it,  may  it  not  bo 
hoped  it  will  have  the  patronage  and  assistance  of  all  the  pious  and  benev 
olent? 

"  And  it  is  humbly  proposed  to  those  who  are  convinced  of  the  iniquity  of 
tho  sluvc  fra</r,  and  are  sensible  of  tho  great  inhumanity  and  cruelty  of  enslav 
ing  HO  many  thousands  of  our  fellow-men  every  year,  with  all  the  dreadful  and 
horrid  attendants,  and  are  ready  to  bear  testimony  nguinst  it  in  all  proper 
ways,  and  do  their  utmost  to  put  a  stop  to  it,  whether  they  have  not  a  good 
opportunity  of  doing  this,  by  cheerfully  contributing  according  to  their  ability, 
to  promote  tho  mission  proposed;  ana  whether  this  is  not  the  best  compensa 
tion  we  nro  able  to  make  the  poor  Africans,  for  the  injuries  they  are  constantly 
receiving  by  this  unrighteous  practice  and  all  its  attendants. 

"  But,  aside  from  thin  consideration,  may  it  not  bo  honed  that  all  who  are 
heartily  praying,  Thy  kingdom  come,  will  liberally  contribute  to  forward  this  ' 
attempt  to  send  the  glorious  gospel  of  the  blessed  Hod  to  the  nations  who  now 
worship  false  gods,  and  dwellin  tho  habitations  of  cruelty,  Mid  the  Innd  of  tho 
shallow  of  death;  especially,  since  tin;  King  of  /ion  IMM  promised  that  who 
soever  purtH  with  any  thing'  in  this  world,  for  the  kingdom  nf  God's  siikc,  shall 
receive  manifold  moro  in  this  present  time,  and  in  tho  world  to  come  life  ever 
lasting.  E-/.KA  STILES, 

SAMIT.L  HOI-KINS. 

"Newport,  Rhode  Island,  August  31,  177,'J." 

This  truly  missionary  appeal  secured  nn.  immediate  and  nn  en 
couraging  response.  In  a  letter  dated  February  7,  1774,  Hopkins 
writes  to  Dr.  Ilart : 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  letter  from  Providence,  and  tho  enclosed  from  Mr. 
Potter.  I  have  communicated  it  to  Dr.  Ktiles,  and  wo  both  think  Dr.  Whee- 
lock's  proposals  cannot  take  place  to  any  advantage.  At  present,  it  is  thought 
best  tho  negroes  should  continue  at  Newport,  as  they  live  cheaper  hero  than 
they  could  elsewhere,  and  ore  instructed  gratia.  And  thoy  would  be  little  or 
no  advantage  to  Dr.  Wheelock's  negro  boy,  in  his  learning  their  native  lan 
guage,  as  'tis  not  best  they  should  attend  to  that  much,  now.  If  that  boy  was 
otherwise  fitted,  and  tho  mission  should  take  effect,  he  might  go  with  them,  or 
after  they  had  made  tho  first  attempt,  and  would  soon  learn  tho  language  by 
their  assistance.  If  you  write,  Dr.  Htiles  and  I  desire  you  to  present  our  com 
pliments  to  Dr.  Whrelock,  arid  thank  him  for  his  kind  offer  of  his  assistance, 
and  his  good  wishes  to  tho  design. 

"Our  society  of  women  contributed  the  first  time  to  promote  tho  African 
mission,  lant  Tuesday,  which  they  upent  together  as  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer  for  the  advancement  of  tho  kingdom  of  Christ  Mr.  (Jordon  him  in 
formed  mo  that  £f>  sterling  is  ready  for  me  in  n  merchant's  hands  in  Boston. 
Tho  ministers  in  Berkshire  county  have  sent  a  letter  to  Dr.  Stiles  and  me, 
highly  approving  of  our  design,  and  earnestly  wishing  it  success.  And  Mr. 


MEMOIR.  138 

West  hat  eent  £3  16*.  lawful  fmoney],  which  trwr  contributed  by  thorn,  ex 
cept  thrco  dollars  of  it,  which  Misa  Pamela  Dwight  generously  j?ave. 

"Dr.  Stiles  and  I  think  the  forwardness  to  promote  the  African  mission, 
manifested  by  you  and  the  ministers  in  connection  with  you,  and  a  number 
among  your  people  and  Mr.  Benedict's,  and  yonr  and  their  generous  contribu 
tions  toward  it,  worthy  of  particular  notice ;  and  we  desire  you,  as  you  have 
opportunity,  to  express  to  them  our  thankful  acknowledgments,  and  wishes 
that  they  may  have  the  reward  which  is  promised  to  every  one  who  parti  with 
this  world's  goods,  for  the  kingdom  of  God's  sake. 

"  Nothing  new  since'tho  last  date,  except  that  tho  Doctor  and  I  have  re 
ceived  a  line  from  tho  North  Association  in  Ilnrtford  county,  informing  that 
they  approve  of  tho  proposal,  in  general ;  but  wait  for  information  by  which 
they- may  judge  of  tho  probability  of  tho  negroes  being  qualified  for  and  suc 
cessful  in  tho  proposed  mission,  in  order  to  do  any  tiling  to  encourage  it." 

It  is  always  difficult  to  separate  theological  partialities  from  prac 
tical  beneficence.  Human  nature  works  its  way  into  the  best  schemes. 
Some  friends  of  Dr.  Stiles  were  not  so  liberal  to  the  African  mission 
as  were  the  friends  of  Mr.  Hopkins.  In  the  Literary  Diary  of  Dr. 
Stiles  we  find  the  following  morccau:  "  October  6,  1773.  I  received 
a  letter  from  Dr.  Clmuncy,  in  which  he  asks  an  account  of  the  two 
negroes  intended  for  tho  African  mission.  Ho  thinks  a  white  mis 
sionary  ought  to  go  with  them,  and  should  not  bo  educated  by  Mr. 
II ;  for  he  thinks  that  the  negroes  had  better  continue  in  pagan 
ism  than  embrace  Mr.  II 's  scheme,  which  he  judges  far  more 

blasphemous."  * 

But  Mr.  Hopkins  was  not  ft  man  who  would  allow  a  theological 
prejudice  to  defeat  n  benevolent  scheme.  Probably  for  the  sake  of 
allaying  such  a  prejudice,  be  consented  that  the  two  negroes  should 
bo  eent  to  Princeton  ;  for  although  ho  dissented  from  some  of  the 
theories  which  were  taught  there,  still  he  was  too  catholic  to  deny, 
that  the  ««  substance  of  doctrine  "  was  retained  at  tho  college  of  Kd- 
wards  and  Burr.  Accordingly  wo  read  in  Stilus's  Literary  Diary  : 

"  November  22,  1774.  /esterday  morning  sailed  from  hence  for  New 
York,  in  their  way  to  Princeton,  Bristol  Yarnnm  and  John  Qnamino,  two 
freed  negroes  of  this  town,  designed  for  an  African  mission.  We  have  sent 
them  to  reside  some  time  at  Jersey  College,  under  tho  tuition  of  President 
Witherspoon.  Last  night  there  was  a  very  severe  storm  and  high  wind,  —  a 
very  dangerous  gale.  They  arrived  safe  at  New  York."  Two  days  after 
ward,  Dr.  Stiles  records,  "  November  24.  To-day,  Mr.  Hopkins  and  I  signed 
a  set  of  bills  for  £50  sterling;  being  three  bills  dated  this  day,  which  we 
drew  on  Mr.  John  Mclntosh,  of  Lothbnry,  London,  by  order  of  tho  Society 
in  Edinburgh  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  in  a  letter  to  us  from  Mr. 

*  Between  Dr.  Chamiey,  of  Boston,  nnil  Mr.  Hopkins,  ono  would  not  anticipate  n 
theological  harmony.  For  ninny  years  there  had  been  a  mutual  dread  of  each  other. 
In  n  loiter  to  Dr.  Bellamy,  dated  July  23,  17(i7,  Mr.  Hopkins  write*  :  "  All  the  wnn'r- 
ciimristti,  in  mid  about  Boston,  ict  up  Dr.  Chimney  its  tho  standard,  imd  toy  hu  has 
struck  out  tho  right  path  in. his  sermons.  Mr.  Blair  [of  Old  South  Church]  Is  zealous 
to  have  some  remarks  made  upon  them,  as  ho  think*  they  contain  the  mm  of  nil  the 
poison  artfully  intermixed  ond  concealed.  I  believe  if  h«  could  b«  well  exposed  and 
taken  down,  it  would  give  tho  gr? ntest  blow  to  that  powerful  and  rifting  party }  and 
wish  you  would  carefully  read  trim  with  that  view,  if  your  health  will  permit  I  have 
bought  and  brought  him  home  with  me." 
* 


134  MEMOIR. 

James  Forrest,  dated  February  last,  it  being  for  the  use  of  educating  Bristol 
and  Quamino,  two  negroes,  for  the  African  mission." 

On  the  10th  of  April,  1776,  Dr.  Stiles  and  Mr*  Hopkins  signed  a 
second  Circular,  and  afterward  published  it  in  a  pamphlet.  It  was 
written,  ns  was  tho  first,  mainly  by  Hopkins,  and  exhibits  remark 
able  evidence  of  his  perseverance  in  tho  missionary  work  at  thut 
early  day.  After  quoting  their  Appeal  of  August  31,  1773,  they 
add: 

"In  consequence  of  this  proposal  [to  educate  the  two  negroes  for  tho  Afri 
can  mission],  numbers  have  generously  contributed  to  promote  tho  design ; 
nnd  wo  have  received  £102  la.  4rf. ,'!/.,  lawful  money ;  of  winch  £55  8.*.  \\f. 
h:is  been  given  in  Now  England ;  £.'{0  Hterling  has  been  given  by  tho  Soci 
ety  in  Scotland  for  Propagating  Christian  Knowledge;  and  a  gentleman  in 
London  has  went  us  £5  Htcrliug.  And  wo  have  hud  encouragement,  both 
from  Scotland  nnd  England,  that  moro  would  bo  given,  if  wanted,  nnd  tlio 
proposed  mission  should  take  place.  But  all  intercourse  with  Great  Britain 
is  now  cut  oil*. 

"  We  huvo  had  tho  approbation  of  a  number  of  gentlemen  who  have  seen 
tho  proposal,  The  presbytery  of  New  York,  and  the  associated  ministers  of 
several  counties  in  Connecticut,  have  written  us,  highly  approving  of  tho  de 
sign.  Mr.  Forrest,  clerk  of  the  nociety  in  Scotland,  mentioned  above,  writes 
in  tho  following  words : 

" '  The  perusal  of  this  memorial  *  gave  great  satisfaction  to  tho  directors,  while 
it  excited  their  admiration  at  tho  various  secret  and  seemingly  most  unlikely 
means,  whereby  an  all-wise  Providence  sees  meet  to  accomplish  his  gracious 
purposes.  At  the  name  time,  they  rejoiced  at  tho  fair  prosjH'Ct  now  nftordod 
to  extend  tho  Mediator's  kingdom  to  those  nations  who  dwell,  at  present,  in 
tho  habitations  of  cruelty,  and  in  the  land  of  tho  shadow  of  death.  After 
saying  HO  much,  it  is  almost  unnecessary  to  tuld,  that  the  plan  suggested  in  your 
memorial  received  the  warmest  approbation  of  the  directors  ot  the  society, 
nnd  that  they  highly  applauded  your  pious  zeal  in  this  matter,  which  they 
earnestly  wish  and  hope  may  bo  crowned  with  success.' 

"The  two  men  above  mentioned  have  been  at  school  and  under  instruction 
most  of  the  time  since  tho  date  of  tlw  above  projH>sal.  They  have  spent  ono 
winter  at  Princeton,  under  tho  care  of  Dr.  Witherspooiii  President  of  tho 
college  there.  And  they  have  made  such  proficiency,  and  aro  in  such  a 
measure  qualified  for  the  mission  proposed,  that  they  would  enter  upon  it 
directly,  were  there  opportunity  to  nend  them  to  Africa,  (which  there  is  not 
at  present,  by  reason  of  tho  Btutc  of  our  public  alluirs,)  and  had  wo  money 
sufficient  to  turnish  them  for  this  purpose. 

"  Since  this  design  has  been  on  foot,  means  have  been  used  f  to  get  intelli 
gence  of  John  Quamine'ri  family,  by  writing  to  Plilllf)  f^i/m/i/e,  a  colored  man, 
nnd  native  of  Guinea,  who  w  missionary  from  the  Society  in  Ixjndon  for  Propa 
gating  tho  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  and  resides  at  Capo  Coast  Castle,  by 
relating  to  him  the  manner  of  his  being  brought  from  Guinea,  and  sending  hi.s 
description  of  his  father's  family,  and  informing  that  he  wad  now  free,  and 
had  thoughts  of  returning  to  hia  native  country,  &c.  In  answer  to  which  he 
writes  as  follows: 

" '  It  is  with  inexpressible  pleasure  and  satisfaction  that  I  acquaint  you,  that 

*  Tho  Circular  of  Augiul  31,  1773,  quoted  above  on  p.  131. 

t  Mr.  Hopkins  wrote  a  letter  of  inquiry  to  Mr.  Quaqne,  on  this  »ubjcct.  Mr. 
Quaquo  wns  an  Episcopal  missionary,  ordained  in  1705.  Ho  di«sd  October  17,  181G, 
ngod  seventy-five  years,  having  been  a  useful  chaplain  and  teacher  in  bit  native  land 
about  half  a  century. 


MEMOIR.  135 

my  inquiries  after  the  friends  and  rolationi  of  that  gentleman  have  met  with 
the  desired  success.  The  minute  account  ho  entertains  you  with  of  his  fami 
ly  and  kindred,  is  just  For,  by  inquiring,  I  have  found  his  father's  name  to 
bo  the  aamo  which  you  mention,  who  has  been  dead  many  years.  His  mother's 
natno  is  as  you  have  written  it,  who  is  still  alive,  and  whom  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  seeing.  But  the  bowels  of  maternal  affection  —  in  truth  do  I  declare  it  — 
seem  ready  to  burst,  and  break  forth  in  tears  of  joy,  liko  Jacob  when  ho  heard 
that  his  beloved  son  Joseph  was  yet  alive.  The  joy  it  kindled  on  the  occa 
sion,  in  expectation  of  seeing  once  more  tho  fruit  of  her  loins  before  she  with 
her  gray  hiira  goes  down  to  tho  grave,  throws  her  into  ecstasies  resembling 
Jacob's,  and  in  raptures  she  breaks  forth  and  says,  It  is  enough!  My  son  w 
ye  I  alive. !  I  hope,  by  Corf  8  blessing,  to  sec.  him  before  I  die.  His  uncle  is  called 
by  the  name  name  mentioned  in  your  favor.  In  short,  every  circumstance  is 
agreeable  to  the  description  given  mo  in  your  letter.  A  great  personage  of 
his  family,  whoso  name  is  Oforee,  and  now  enjoys  his  father's  estate,  desires, 
with  groat  importunity,  that  I  would  earnestly  petition  you  that  ho  may  bo 
rot'Tnod  to  them  as  noon  as  may  bo,  and  promised  that  nothing  nhall  bo  wnnt- 
ing  to  mako  him,  and  ull  about  him,  comfortable  and  happy  among  his  own 
,  kindred,  And  the  whole  family  unanimously  join  in  requesting  mo  to  render 
you  all  tho  grateful  acknowledgments  and  thanks  they  aro  able  to  return  for 
your  paternal  care  and  alVection  exercised  toward  him,  and  beg  me  to  tell  you, 
that  OH  it  is  not  in  their  power  to  requite  you  for  all  your  trouble,  they  there 
fore  hopo  that  tho  good  God  of  Heaven  will  recompense  you  hereafter  for 
your  labor  of  love  bestowed  on  him.' 

"  In  a  letter  of  a  later  date,  ho  writes  in  tho  following  manner: 

" '  Tho  mother  is  Htill  looking  with  impatience  for  tho  return  of  her  son,  onco 
dead  and  lost.  She,  and  tho  principal  cousin,  who  possesses  tho  estate  of  his 
father,  join  in  earnestly  entreating  you  would,  in  your  Christian  love  and 
charity  to  them,  send  tho  Ind  again,  that  ho  may  receive  their  cordial  em 
braces,  looking  upon  themselves  sufficient  to  support  him.  I  received  tha 
charitable  proposals,  and  sincerely  thank  you  therefor.  And  I  am  joyful  to 
hear,  that  there  uro  Africans  with  you  who  partake  of  the  blessings  of  tho 
gospel,  and  in  time  may  be  the  means  of  promoting  the  greatest  and  best  in 
terest  of  Africans  here.  I  -\vish  to  God  for  its  speedy  accomplishment,  when 
the  nation  who  aro  now  called  not  the  children  of  Jehovah,  shall  become  tho 
prophets  of  tho  Lord,  and  the  children  of  the  living  God.  May  tho  benedic 
tion  of  tho  Almighty  prosper  all  their  undertakings,  to  the  saving  of  many 
souls.' 

"  A  native  of  Annamaboe  hns  lately  arrived  at  Newport,  who  is  a  free  man, 
and  appears  to  be  a  sensible,  inquisitive  person,  and  is  recommended  by  tho 
captain  he  camn  with,  na  a  ninn  of  integrity  and  good  behavior.  Ho  is  a  re 
lation  of  John  Quamine's,  and  well  acquainted  with  his  family,  and  confirms 
tho  nbovo  account.  He  expresses  a  desire  to  learn  to  read,&c.,  and  to  bo 
instructed  in  the  Christian  religion,  sensible  that  ho  and  his  countrymen  aro 
ignorant  of  the  way  in  which  men  may  find  favor  with  God,  nnd  thnt  they 
Btand  in  need  of  a  revelation  from  him,  in  order  to  know  what  he  requires  of 
them.  Ho  nays,  he  1ms  heard  we  have  such  a  revelation  among  us,  nnd  ho 
desires  to  know  what  it  contains.  He  informs,  that  he  knows  of  a  number  of 
youths  at  Annamaboe,  who  have  a  great  desiro  to  learn  to  read  and  write, 
&c.,  and  would  como  into  theso  parts  for  that  end,  were  they  not  afraid  of 
being  deceived  nnd  sold.  Ho  appears  pleased  with  tho  proposal  to  send 
blacks  to  teach  his  people,  and  thinks  they  will  bo  kindly  received  jand  at 
tended  to. 

"  There  is  another  colored  rnnn,  named  Salmnr  Nubia,  a  member  of  tho  Sec 
ond  Congregational  Church*  in  Newport,  who  is  promising  as  a  person  of 
a  good  genius,  and  giving  evidence  oi  real  piety.  Ho  is  about  twenty  years 

r 
*  This  church  wai  under  tho  pastoral  chorfo  of  tho  Rev.  Dr.  Stiles. 


136  MBMOIK. 

old,  and  haa  lately  had  his  freedom  given  to  him.  He  is  greatly  desirous  and 
engaged,  in  aomo  way  to  promote  the  spread  of  tho  ffospel  among  the  Afri 
cans.  Wo  think  thoro  is  good  encouragement  to  bo  at  tho  expense  of  fitting 
him  for  a  missionary  or  a  schoolmaster  among  them. 

"  What  him  been  given  to  promote  tin's  design  is  nearly  expended  al 
ready  ;  —  a  particular  account  of  tho  expenses  any  one  who  pleases  may  sco 
at  any  time.  Money  is  now  wanted  still  to  carry  it  on, « — to  support  these 
men  till  they  have  an  opportunity  to  go  to  Guinea,  —  to  furnish  them  with 
necessaries  for  their  voyngo  and  mission,  —  to  set  up  schools  to  teach  tho 
youth  and  children,  if  a  way  shall  (men  for  this ;  and  for  any  other  services 
to  promote  this  important  design,  n«  (iod  in  his  providence  shall  direct. 

"fcJinco  it  has  pleased  (iod  so  far  to  succeed  tins  design  in  his  providence, 
and  in  such  a  remarkable  manner  to  open  the  way,  from  step  to  step,  and  give 
sueli  hopeful  prospects,  and  good  encouragement  to  pursue  it,  we  think  it  our 
duty  still  to  prosecute  it,  ami  ask  the  benefactions  ot  all  who  shall  bo  Milling 
to  promote  an  undertaking  in  itself  so  benevolent;  and  which,  though  small 
in  its  beginning,  may  horn-fully  issue  in  something  very  great,  and  open  tho 
way  to  tho  happiness  ana  salvation  of  multitudes;  yea,  of  many  nations,  who 
aro  now  in  tho  most  miserable  state,  ready  to  perish  in  tho  darkness  of 
heathenism. 

''  We  beg  leavo  also  to  observe,  that  tho  present  state  of  our  public  afi'nirs 
is  so  fur  from  being  a  reason  for  neglecting  this  proposal,  that  it  seems  rather 
to  Htlord  strong  reasons  to  encourage  it.  For  whHo  \ve  are  struggling  for  our 
civil  and  religious  liberties,  it  will  be  peculiarly  becoming  and  laudable  to 
exert  ourselves  to  procure  the  name  blessings  for  others,  so  far  as  it  is  in  our 
power.  And  when  (jod  is  so  remarkably  interposing,  and  ordering  such  a 
series  of  events  in  our  favor,  in  this  time  of  general  distress,  is  there  not  u 
special  call  to  pay  this  tribute  to  him,  according  as  he  has  prospered  us,  us 
one  likely  method  to  obtain  the  continuance  of  his  favor  and  protection? 

K/.KA  STII.KS, 
SAMUKL  HOI-KINS." 

Tlio  revolutionary  war  interrupted  these  missionary  exertions  of 
Hopkins  for  a  time,  but  eighteen  yeurs  after  li«  luul  commenced 
them,  lie  wrote  to  Dr.  Hurt  with  us  fresh  tin  interest  as  ever : 

"June  10,  17JM.  I  also  received  a  letter  [by  a  late  arrival]  from  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Kemp,  Secretary  of  the  Society  in  Scotland  for  Propagating  Christian  Knowl 
edge,  which  I  proposo  to  enclose  to  you  for  your  judgment  and  advice. — 
Bristol  Yammu  is  the  first  black  on  my  list  for  a  missionary.  Salmar  Nubia, 
alias  Jack  Mason,  has  been  thought  of  for  another,  by  Dr.  Stiles  and  me.  llo 
is  sutliciently  zealous  to  go.  Ho  came  from  the  windward  coast.  Tho 
nation  to  which  lie  belongs  is  at  u  groat  distance  from  the  sea.  He  retains 
his  native  language  in  a  considerable  degree.  I  suppose  you  wero  ac 
quainted  with  him  when  he  lived  at  Preston.  Newport  Gardner  is,  in  my 
view,  next  to  Bristol,  and  in  somo  things  excels  him.  lie  is  u  discerning, 
judicious,  steady,  good  man;  and  feels  greatly  interested  in  promoting  a 
Christian  sett  lenient  in  Africa,  and  promoting  Christianity  there.*  These  1 
consider  as  the  first  three  in  America  lor  such  a  design.  Newport's  master 
ofiers  to  free  him,  his  wife,  and  all  his  children  but  one,  on  condition  he  will 
live  with  him  two  years  from  the  first  of  this  month,  and  receive  three  dollars 
per  luonth  during  that  term.  This  oiler  is  beyond  our  expectation,  and  wo 
hope  he  will  yet  give  up  the  condition  last  mentioned. 

44  If  it  wore  thought  best  that  a  white  man  should  go  with  thcm,f  perhaps 
a  man  cannot  be  found,  of  a  character  suited  to  such  u  business,  who  would 

•   Here  is  aa  allusion  to  Hopkins'*  fixvoritc  plnu  of  Christian  Colonization. 
f  See  Dr.  Channel's  proposition  on  p.  133,  above. 


MEMOIR.  187 

be  willing  to  undertake.  You  must  bo  one  to  judge  of  the  qualification*  of 
those  who  are  proposed  to  be  missionaries,  and  to  make  report  to  the  society 
in  Scotland.  And  you  must  plan,  advise,  and  prosecute.  I  arn  too  old  to  do 
much.  Perhaps  you  can  influence  the  African  Society  in  Connecticut  to 
approve  of  some  plan  of  this  kind,  and  to  exert  themselves  to  get  subscribers 
to  promote  the  design.  If  application  were  made  by  them,  or  a  committee 
authorized  by  thorn  to  the  Legislature,  to  grant  a  brief  for  a  contribution  in 
all  the  congregations  through  the  State,  it  might  be  obtained.  The  African 
Societies  in  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and  this  State,  are  composed  of  so 
many  Quakers,  who  make  the  most  active,  ruling  part;  and  they,  for  some 
reason  or  other,  are  not  disposed  to  promote  such  a  design.  Therefore,  there 
is  no  encouragement  to  apply  to  them  for  assistance.  If  the  society  in  Con 
necticut  should  take  the  lend  in  promoting  nuch  a  design,  perhaps  they  might 
(all  in  afterwards,  and  join  to  carry  it  on.  You  will  return  the  enclosed  letter, 
when  you  have  made  all  the  use  of  it  you  think  proper." 

The  correspondence  of  our  philanthropist,  on  his  favorite  project 
of  cvangeli/ing  Africa,  was  more  extensive  than  Jinn  been  supposed. 
Ho  wrote  to  Britons  and  Americans,  to  men  and  women,  to  blacks 
and  whites.  Among  others  whom  ho  addressed  on  the  subject,  was 
that  interesting  negress,  Pbillis  Whcatley.*  One  would  scarcely  ex 
pect  that  ft  logical  divine,  nt  tho  age  of  fifty-three,  would  devoto 
himself  to  the  business  of  Helling  copies  of  a  poetical  volume,  which 
was  Written  by  a  female  slave  at  the  age  of  twenty.t  IJut  there  was 
nothing,  honest  and  proper,  which  this  enterprising  man  was  unwill 
ing  to  do  for  the  welfare  of  the  African  race.  IIo  was  not  HO  ver 
satile  as  hfc  was  strong,  yet  he  had  n  richer  variety  of  gifts  than  has 
been  commonly  ascribed  to  him.  The  nature  of  his  correspondence 
with  Phillis  Whcatlcy  is  disclosed  in  the  following  letter,  which  she 
wrote  to  him,  a  few  months  after  her  book  of  poetry  was  published 
in  London.  She  was  about  twenty-one  years  old  at  the  date  of  her 
epistle.  The  chirography  of  it  is  remarkably  beautiful.  It  is  here 
copied  verbatim  ct  literatim. 

"Reverend  Sir:  I  received  your  kind  letter  last  evening  by-Mr.  Pember- 
ton,  by  whom  also  this  is  to  bo  handed  you.  I  have  also  received  the  money 
for  the  five  books  I  sent  Obour,  and  &».  Cut.  more  for  another.  She  has 
wrote  me,  but  the  date  is  &)  April.  I  am  very  sorry  to  hear,  that  Philip 
Quaquo  has  very  little  or  no  apparent  success  in  his  mission.  Yet  I  winn 
that  what  you  hear  respecting  him  may  bo  only  a  misrepresentation.  Let  us 
not  be  discouraged,  but  still  hope  that  God  will  bring  about  his  great  work, 
though  Philip  may  not  be  the  instrument  in  the  divine  hand  to  perform  this 
work  of  wonder,  turning  the  Africans  */rom  darkness  to  ligfit?  Possibly,  if 
Philip  would  introduce  himself  properly  to  them,  (I  don't  know  the  reverse,) 
he  might  be  more  successful;  and  in  setting  a  good  example,  which  is  more 
powerfully  winning  than  instruction.  I  observe  your  reference  to  the  maps 
of  (iuineti  and  Salmon's  (Ja/.etteer,  and  shall  consult  them.  I  havo  received, 
in  some  of  tho  last  ships  from  Ijondon,  three  hundred  more  copies  of  my 
poems,  and  wish  to  dispose  of  them  as  soon  as  possible.  If  you  know  of  any 
oeing  wanted,  I  Hatter  myself  you  will  bo  pleased  to  let  mo  know  it,  which 
will  bo  adding  one  more  to  tho  many  obligations  already  conferred  on  her, 

*  Sec  an  account  of  her  in  Allen'*  Biographical  Dictionary. 

f  Dr.  Cbanuing  says,  p.  110,  above,  that  Hopkins  had  no  relish  for  poetry. 

r 


188  MEMOIH. 

who  is,  with  a  duo  eenso  of  your  kindness,  yonr  most  humblo  and  obedient 
servant,  PIULLIS  WHEATLKT. 

"Boston,  May  G,  1774. —  The  Reverend  S.  Hopkins." 

As  early  as  1773,  n  society  Imd  been  formed  in  Newport,  under 
the  auspices  of  Mr.  Hopkins  and  Dr.  Stiles,  for  the  education  and 
imbscqucnt  maintenance  of  these  African  missionaries,  lie  then  gave 
to  this  society  the  hundred  dollars  for  which,  in  the  days  of  his 
ignorance,  lie  had  sold  his  slave.  Twenty  yenrs  afterward,  in  1793-4, 
when  he  received  nine  hundred  dollars  for  the  copyright  of  his  Sys 
tem  of  Divinity,  lie  contributed  one  hundred  of  it  to  this  society.  It 
was  an  Education  Society.  It  was  also  n  Foreign  Missionary  So 
ciety.  In  connection  with  it,  there  was  a  kind  of  monthly  concert 
for  prayer.  It  jvns  prolmbly  in  allusion  to  this  concert,  that  Dr. 
dimming  Buys:'  "It  was  my  habit,  in  the  yearn  1HOO  and  1801, 
to  attend  a  monthly  meeting  of  prayer  for  the  revival  and  spread  of 
religion.  Our  number  sometimes  did  not  exceed  twenty  or  thirty. 
Still,'  u.  collection  was  taken  for  missionary  purposes,  and,  as  most 
of  us  were  very  poor,  our  contributions  did  not  greatly  exceed  the 
widow's  mite.  On  one  occasion,  as  I  have  heard  from  Dr.  Patten, 
however,  a  hundred  dollar  bill  appeared  in  the  box.  Dr.  Hopkins 
hud  received  the  same  for  the  copyright  of  one  of  his  books,  and  be 
made  this  offering  at  a  time  when  lie  received  next  to  no  salary,  und 
often,  as  I  understood,  depended  for  his  dinner  on  the  liberality  of 
a  parishioner."  t 

SECT.  XXXVI.    COLONIZATION  OF  AFRICA. 

The  plan  which  Mr.  Hopkins  formed  for  cvangeli/.ing  Africa,  was 
also  n  plan  for  coloni/.ing  it  with  reputable  negroes  from  America. 
From  various  intimations  it  is  probable,  that  he  distinctly  meditated 
this  plan  of  coloni/.ation  as  early,  at  least,  its  April,  1773.  He  did 
not  intend  to  dissociate  the  missionary  life  of  the  Africans  whom  he 
educated,  from  the  ctvili/.ed  life  of  the  Africans  whom  he  would  fain 
send  out  with  these  missionaries.  His  colonization  was  to  bo  re 
ligious  in  its  spirit  and  aims. 

The  first  distinct  allusion  wliich  we  find  to  his  scheme  for  plant 
ing  a  colony  of  liberated  slaves  in  Africa,  proves  that  the  scheme  was 
then  far  from  being  a  novelty  in  his  mind.  It  is  mentioned  as  a 
plan  which  had  been  contemplated  for  some  time.  Thus  he  writes 
to  Moses  Hruwn  the  following  very  distinct  words  : 

*  Letter  of  February  It,  IflU). 

t  Loiter  of  February  11,  18U).  It  is  possible  that  Dr.  Charming  here  alludes  to  the 
hundred  dolhus  wlw  h  Hopkins  pave  tubsrqnenily  to  1793-4,  the  time  of  receiving  the 
copyright  of  his  $\,stfm.  If  so,  the  gift  had  no  connection,-  perhaps,  with  the  African 
mission.  One  of  Hopkins's  enrly  successors  in  the  ministry  at  Newport,  has  informed 
the  writer,  that  Hopkins  gave  one  half  of  the  copyright  for  his  System  to  the  African 
mission. 


MEMOIR.  139 

u  April  20, 1784.  There  has  boon  a  proposal  on  foot  some  time,  that  a 
number  of  blacks  should  return  to  Africa,  and  settle  there ;  that  a  number,  who 
hive  been  under  the  most  serious  impressions  of  religion,  should  lead  tho  way, 
and  when  they  arc  fixed  there,  should  improve  all  opportunities  to  teach  tho  Afri 
cans  the  doctrines  and  duties  of  Christianity,  both  by  precept  and  example.  In 
order  to  this,  a  number  who  shall  be  thought  best  qualified  for  this  business,  must 
first  be  sent  to  Africa,  to  treat  with  some  of  the  nations  there,  and  request- of 
thorn  lands,  proper  and  sufficient  for  them  and  as  many  as  shall,  go  with  them  to 
settle  upon.  It  is  presumed  land  would  be  freely  given.  And  it  is  thought,  that 
such  a  settlement  would  not  only  be  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  shall  return  to 
their  native  country,  but  it  would  be  the  most  likely  and  powerful  means  of 
putting  a  stop  to  tho  slave  trade,  as  well  as  of  increasing  Christian  knowl 
edge  among  those  heathens.  In  order  to  this,  there  must  be  some  cxpen.se. 
A  vessel  must  be  obtained,  and  a  cargo  procured  of  such  tilings  as  will  Hell 
there,  (all  spirits  execpted.*)  A  captain  must  be  found,  who  can  be  relied 
upon,  and  paid.  This  supposes  a  sufficient  number  of  blacks  may  bo  found 
for  sailors,  who  arc  used  to  the  sea,  and  that  tho  advantage  of  the  trade  will 
repay  most  of  tho  expense.  I  communicate  these  hints  of  a  plan  to  you, 
that  I  may  know  how  far  you  approve  of  it,  and  whether  you  think  it  practi 
cable.  And  if  you  do,  whether  you,  in  conjunction  with  some  of  your  able 
friends,  would  advance  any  thiiv  considerable  to  promote  such  a  design.  It 
has  been  said  by  some,  and  doubtless  by  many,  '  There  are  a  number  of  men 
who  have  large  estates,  much  of  which  they  have  gotten  by  the  slave  trade, 
who  now  profess  to  be  convinced  they  have  done  wrong  in  having  any  hand 
in  that  trade,  and  manifest  great  /.'val  against  it,  and  are  great  enemies  of 
slavery.  Let  them  show  their  repentance  by  their  works;  by  giving  up  a 
considerable  part  of  their  estates  to  liberate  tho  Africans  and  promote  their 
good.  Let  them  do  this,  and  we  will  believe  them  sincere  and  honest  men, 
but  not  before,  &c.'"  f 

The  following  important  letter  to  Mr.  Brown  was  written  just  one 
month  and  one  day  before  tl>«  first  colony  of  blacks  set  sail  from 
England  for  Sierra  Leone  : 

"March  7,  17H7.  Dear  Sir:  This  will  be  handed  to  you  by  Dr.  Thornton, 
a  gentleman  from  the  West  Indies,  who  has  been  in  this  city  \  some  weeks. 
lie  brings  no  recommendation,  but  appears  to  me  to  be  an  honest  man,  though 
too  flighty  and  unsteady,  perhaps,  to  be  at  the  head  of  an  affair  in  which  ho 
is  very  zealous:  a  settlement  of  the  tftmcriean  blacks  in  some  part  of  Africa. 
Should  he  hi'.vo  opportunity  to  converse  with  you,  which  I  wish,  and  [which] 
will  be  agreeable  to  him,  he  will  communicate  to  you  his  plan,  &c.  §  I  have, 
as  you  kno\v,  sir,  been  for  years  desirous  of  an  attempt  to  make  such  a  settle 
ment,  and  am  glad  to  hear  that  Friends  in  Britain,  and  other  dissenters,  have 
joined  to  carry  this  into  execution,  I  suppose  upon  the  late  Dr.  Fothergil's 
plan.  I  wish  some  gentlemen,  who  arc  able,  would  send  a  vessel  to  Africa, 

*  As  f;ir  ju  we  can  judge  from  the  journal  and  letters  of  Hopkins,  ho  was  disposed 
to  insert  a  temperance  clause  in  nit  his  important  negotiations  which  would  admit  it. 

f  Tin's  closing  appeal  is  another  illustration  of  the  unbending  faithfulness  which  char- 
ftcteri/ed  its  author.  He  knew  that  the  charge  of  inconsistency  had  l>ccn  brought 
against  the  estimable  innii  whom  he  was  addressing,  (sec  p.  123,  above,)  anil  he  meant 
lo  use  this  fact  ,TS  a  motive  for  a  more  generous  contribution  to  the  new  enterprise. 

t  In  17fH,  Newport  was  incorporated  n  city,  but  returned  to  its  old  town  government 
in  1787,  a  few  days  after  the  date  of  this  letter. 

$  It  is  important  hero  to  notice  that  Mr.  Hopkins  docs  not  allude  to  Dr.  Thornton's 
plan,  as  in  any  degree  novel.  His  fears  relate  merely  to  the  prudence  of  Dr.  Thornton 
in  executing  it.  Dr.  Alexander  says  that  Dr.  Thornton  "  is  still  remembered  as  a  man 
of  many  eccentricities,  arising  from  a  vivid  genius,  and  a  real  philanthropist.''  See  His 
tory  of  African  Colonization,  p.  61. 


140  MEMOIR. 

perhaps  to  tho  Ivory  Coast,  with  a  proper  cargo  to  trade  there  for  ivory,  &c. ; 
and  that  sonic  proper  persona  might  go  and  treat  with  the  princes  or  nations 
there  for  land,  on  which  those  who  arc  disposed  to  return  might  settle.  I 
think  there  would  bo  a  prospect  of  thoir  gaining,  rather  thiin  their  losing 
money  by  such  an  undertaking,  beside  their  promoting  such  a  good  design. 
I  thank  you  for  your  letter  of  January,  178(5,  and  the  pamphlets  enclosed  with 
it.  I  have  dispersed  most  of  them,  whore  I  thought  they  might  be  of  tho  most 
service.  I  have  seen  the  piece,  upon  the  slave  trade,  which  obtained  the  highest 
priv.e  in  the  University  of  Cambridge,  in  the  year  17K>,  which  you  mentioned, 
and  hope  it  will  do  much  good.  1  conclude  you  have  seen  it.  I  havo  not 
been  able  to  effect  the  design  toward  which  you  generously  offered  to  give 
twenty  dollars,*  as  I  havo  been  much  confined  at  home  the  year  past.  You 
have  doubtless  been  informed  that  a  gold  medal  was  offered  by  the  Society  in 
New  York  for  Liberating  the  Africans,  for  the  best  piece  n gainst  the  slave 
trade,  to  bo  produced  at  tho  last  commencement  in  the  college  there.  I  have 
not  heard  any  thing  further  of  it.  —  Any  further  intelligence  from  Britain,  or 
any  other  quarter,  which  you  shall  bo  able  to  communicate,  respecting  the 
slave  trade,  and  the  resettlement  of  blacks  in  Africa,  will  be  thankfully  re 
ceived  by  your  respectful  friend,  S.  HOI-KINS." 

Nearly  t\vo  years  after  the  preceding  epistle,  we  find  its  resolute 
author  addressing  Grunville  Sharp,  the  eminent  coloni/.atiouist  of 
("•rent  Britain.  The,  letter  is  inserted,  with  some  abridgment,  in 
Prince  lloare's  Memoir  of  Mr.  Sharp,  pp.  ;MO-^13t  but  the  whole 
of  it  is  no\v  published  for  tho  first  time. 

"Newport,  January  15,  I7H!>.  Sir:  As  I  am  an  utter  stranger  to  you,  I 
presume  to  introduce  myself  by  tho  following  narrative:  I  am  the  pastor  of 
the  First  Congregational  Church  in  Newport,  on  Rhode  Island.  I  spent  tho 
former  part  of  my  life;  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles  from  this  place;  havo  lived 
here  rear  twenty  years.  When  I  removed  to  this  town,  my  attention  was 
soon  turned  to  the  slave  /rm/r,  which  had  been  long  carried  on  here,  and  was 
Ptill  continued.  It  appeared  to  me  wholly  unjustifiable  and- exceeding  inhu 
mane  and  cruel;  mid  I  thought  I  was  obliged,  in  duty,  to  condemn  it  in  pub 
lic  ami  preach  against  it.  I  Irul  better  success  than  I  expected,  and  most  of 
my  hearers  wen*  convinced"  that  it  was  a  very  wrong  and  wicked  practice. 
But  this  procured  to  me  many  enemies  in  the  town,  which  were  increased  and 
more  irritated  when  I  proceeded,  as  I  soon  did,  to  condemn  the  holding  these 
Africans  in  perpetual  slavery,  who  were  brought  hero  by  the  iniquitous  slave 
trade.  I  was,  so  far  as  I  then  knew,  almost  alone  in  mv  opposition  to  the 
slave  trade  and  the  slavery  of  the  Africans;  but  since,  [l]  have  read,  with 
great  satisfaction,  your  writings  on  that  subject,  some. of  which,  I  believe, 
were  published  before  the  time  above  mentioned,  and  the  writings  of  others. 
And  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of  finding  a  conviction  of  the  evil  of  this  prac 
tice  to  spread  and  prevail  in  America.  And  two  respectable  and  numerous 
societies  are  formed,  one  in  New  York  and  the  other  in  Philadelphia,  with  a 
view  to  promote  the  abolition  of  the  slavery  of  the  Africans,  and  protect  and 
assist  those  who  havo  obtained  their  freedom;  of  which  you  have  doubtless 
been  fully  informed;  of  bolh  which  societies  I  have  the  honor  to  be  a  corre 
sponding  member. 

"In  Massachusetts,  all  the  Africans  are  made  free  by  their  Constitution, 
and  many  have  obtained  their  freedom  in  this  State.  But  tlHr  circumstances 
nre,  in  many  respects,  unhappy,  while  they  live  hero  among  the  whites ;  tho 
latter  looking  down  upon  them,  and  being  disposed  to  treat  them  as  under- 

*  An  allusion  to  the  Prize  Essny  which  was  mentioned  in  the  letter  of  February  10, 
178G,  to  Dr.  Hnrt,  and  which  was  supgcstcd  to  Mr.  Brown  by  the  Prize  Essay  of  Clark- 
son,  noticed  by  Hopkins  n  few  lines  above. 


MEMOIR.  141  / 

lin^s,  and  denying  them  the  advantages  of  education  and  employment,  &c., 
which  tends  to  depress  their  minds  and  prevent  their  obtaining  a  comfortable 
living,  &c.  This  and  other  considerations  have  led  many  of  them  to  desire  to 
return  to  Africa,  and  settle  there  among  their  brethren,  and  in  a  country  and 
climate  more  natural  to  thorn  than  this.  Particularly,  there  are  a  number  of 
religious  blacks,  with  whom  I  am  acquainted,  who  wish  to  bo  formed  into  a 
distinct  church  or  religious  society,  and  to  have  a  black  appointed  as  their 
pastor,  (and  there  is  one,  at  least,  who  is  thought  qualified  for  that  office,)  and 
then  to  go,  with  all  the  blacks  who  shall  be  willing  to  move  with  them,  to  Af 
rica,  and  settle  on  lauds  which  they  think  may  be  obtained  of  some  of  the  na 
tions  there,  from  whom  some  of  them  were  taken,  and  whoso  language  they 
retain ;  and  there  maintain  the  profession  and  practice  of  Christianity,  and 
spread  the  knowledge  of  it  among  the  Africans,  as  far  as  they  shall  have  op 
portunity  ;  at  the  same  time  cultivating  their  lands,  and  introducing  into  that 
hitherto  uncivilized  country  the  arts  of  husbandry,  building  mills  and  houses, 
anil  other  mechanic  arts,  and  raising  cotton,  cotfee,  &c.,  for  exportation,  as 
well  tin  for  their  own  use.  This  plan  I  have  1m d  in  view  for  Homo  time,  and 
have  wished  and  attempted  to  promote  it.  Uut  no  way  lias  yet  been  opened 
in  America  to  curry  it  into  execution;  there  being  no  means  yet  found  to  de 
fray  tho  charge  of  sending  a  vessel  to  Africa  with  a  number  of  blacks,  to  find  > 
out  and  procure  the  most  convenient  place  for  such  a  settlement. 

"  lu  the  mean  time,  we  have,  to  our  great  joy,  been  informed,  that  such  a 
plan  was  projected  and  executed  in  England,  in  which  the  society  of  which 
you  are  a  member,  had  a  great,  if  not  a  chief  hand.  We  were  assured  that 
several  whips,  with  a  considerable  number  of  blacks,  sailed  from  England  for 
Africa,  in  February,  1*87,  with  a  design  to  make  a  settlement  on  the  Wind 
ward  Coast.  Wo  have  been  earnestly  Availing  for  an  authentic  information 
of  the  Hiieeess  of  this  expedition,  and  the  place  and  circumstances  of  the  pro- 
nosed  settlement,  but  have'  received  none  to  this  day.  It  is  indeed  mentioned 
by  the  Dean  of  Middle  ton,  in  his  letter  to  the  treasurer  of  our  society,  (p.  14, 
note,)  that  a  settlement  is  already  established  at  Sierra  Leone ;  anil  he  inti 
mates  that  there  is  room  for  more  settlers.  And  it  is  reported  from  Africa, 
that  those  blacks  have  arrived  there  from  England,  and  that  a  tract  of  land 
twenty  miles  square  had  been  procured  for  them,  near  the  mouth  of  the  river 
Sierra  Leone,  and  that  the  settlement  is  going  on.  .But  we  have  contradictory 
reports  of  the  success  of  it. 

*'  I  have  thought,  as  do  the  most  intelligent  whites  and  blacks  with  whom  I 
nm  acquainted,  that  if  such  a  tract  of  land  is  procured,  there  is  much  more  of 
it  than  can  be  occupied  by  the  blacks  which  went  from  England,  and  there 
fore  the  design  might  be  forwarded  by  giving  a  part  of  it  to  the  blacks  in 
America,  who  arc  disposed  to  go  and  settle  there.  We  have  a  considerable 
number  of  freed  blacks,  in  New  England,  who  have  been  educated  and  habit 
uated  to  industry  and  labor,  either  on  lands,  or  as  mechanics,  and  are  hereby 
prepared  to  bring  forward  sucli  a  settlement,  better  than  any  other  blacks,  I 
believe,  that  can  be  found. 

"  All  this,  nir,  is  a  lengthy  introduction  to  the  following  request:  that  you 
would  please  to  inform  me,  whether  such  a  tract  of  land  is  procured,  ami  on 
what  conditions ;  whether  the  blacks,  who  settle  on  it,  have  the  fee  of  tho 
land;  under  what  government  they  are ;  whether  Uritisli,  or  their  own  by  a 
particular  civil  constitution,  formed  for  them,  to  bo  executed  by  themselves,  or 
some  English  gentlemen  who  are  for  that  end  to  reside  among  them;  whether 
there  is  any  provision  made  to  maintain  and  propagate  religious  knowledge 
among  them  and  others  who  may  live  in  their  neighborhood;  whether  tho  set 
tlers  have  behaved  well,  and  prospered,  nince  they  began,  and  what  progress 
they  liiivo  made;  finally,  whetiier  tho  black*  in  America,  who  are  disposed  to 
go,  can  have  any  part  of  these  lands  to  nettle  themselves  upon,  and  on  what 
terms ;  and  what  encouragement  and  assistance  might  they  probably  have. 

"If  you  are  pleased  to  be  at  the  trouble  of  writing  me  on  this  subject,  a 
letter  sent  to  any  of  the  members  of  either  of  the  societies  abovo  mentioned, 


142  MEMOIR* 

•will  come  safe  to  me.  I  toko  leave  to  enclose  to  you  some  of  my  anonymous 
writings  on  the  slave  trade  and  the  slavery  of  the  Africans ;  and  am,  with 
great  esteem  and  respect,  your  humble  servant,  SAMUEL  HOPKINS." 

Light  will  be  reflected  on  the  movements  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  by  in 
serting  here  the  reply  which  he  received  from  Mr.  Sharp : 

"  Leadenhall  Street,  July  25,  178'.).  Reverend  Sir:  Sonic  little  time  after 
your  letter  came  to  my  hands,  I  received  an  account  respecting  the  new  set 
tlement  at  Sierra  Leone,  so  very  discouraging  that  I  began  to  be  doubtful 
whether  I  ought  to  communicate  to  you  the  same  invitation  for  the  blacks  in 
America  to  go  to  Sierra  Leone  which  I  had  sent  some  time  before  to  Phila 
delphia  and  New  York.  I  received  such  alarming  intelligence  of  a  conspira 
cy,  stirred  up  by  the  slave  traders  to  cut  oil'  the  settlement,  that  I  began  to 
give  it  up  for  lost  It  is  but  a  few  days  ago,  (the  twenty-second  instant,)  that 
these  fears  have  been  removed,  by  the  arrival  of  one  of  the  settlers,  with  let 
ters  from  the  Governor  and  several  other  persons  in  the  settlement. 

"  The  messenger  was  sent  on  purpose  with  these  letters,  and  had  no  other 
means  of  coming  hither  than  by  going  in  a  slave  ship  round  by  the  West  In 
dies.  By  these  letters  I  find  that,  contrary  to  my  fears,  their  enemies  have 
not  dared  to  meddle  with  the  settlers,  and  that  they  are  very  well  united,  and 
had  punished  two  different  captains  of  slave  ships  for  ill  behavior,  by  tine  nnd 
imprisonment,  which  occasioned  the  lato  combination  against  them.  Hut 
their  numbers  did  not  exceed  one  hundred  anil  twenty  people,  men,  women, 
and  children,  altogether.  However,  I  am  informed  that  since  those  letters 
were  written,  some  more  of  the  settlers,  who  had  been  dispersed  in  the  neigh 
borhood,  were  returned,  and  that  they  arc  in  all  about  two  hundred  people. 

"  All  the  white  people  whom  I  sent  out  last  year,  to  assist  in  supporting  the 
settlement,  have  been  wicked  enough  to  go  into  the  sen-ice  of  the  slave  trade 
at  the  neighboring  factories,  having  been  enticed  away,  I  suppose,  by  high 
wages ;  but  the  people  who  remained  in  the  settlement  have  carefully  ad 
hered  to  their  promise,  not  to  permit  the  iniquity  of  slnve  'baling  in  the  Prov 
ince  of  Freedom ;  so  that,  though  they  have  not  kept  up  strictly  to  other  Regula 
tions  which  I  proposed  for  them,  yet,  in  this  most  essential  point,  they  deserve 
commendation.  I  shall  send  you,  by  the  first  ship,  copies  of  the  Regulations 
•\\hich  I  wished  to  establish  there. 

"  As  the  settlement  has  been  lately  repurchased  of  King  Naimbanna,  the 
settlers,  I  think,  must  now  submit  to  receive  and  accommodate  all  new  comers 
with  equal  lots  of  land,  gratis,  until  they  amount  at  leant  to  six  hundred  house 
holders,  notwithstanding  the  limitation  of  time  in  the  Regulation's;  so  that  I 
hope  I  may  venture  to  assert,  that  whatever'  people  from  America  will  cn- 
pige  to  submit  to  the  terms  of  the  Regulations  and  the  English  government, 
(which  must  be  perfectly  free,  whilst  frank-pledge  and  a  universal  militia  arc 
maintained,)  will  bo  admitted  to  free  lot.s,  even  if  they  amount  to  more  than 
double  that  number,  provided  that  they  go  all  at  one  time,  and  show  this  letter, 
or  a  copy  of  it,  to  the  Governor  and  Assembly  of  Settlers  in  the  Province  of 
Freedom. 

"In  addition  to  the  accounts  which  I  had  before  received,  the  settlers,  who 
brought  me  the  hust  letters,  inform  mo  thnt  the  land  is  very  good,  and  the 
neighboring  natives  very  civil;  and  that  King  Naimbanna,  a  very  reverend 
old  man,  whose  town  is  just  beyond  the  borders  of  the  settlement,  is  particu 
larly  kind  to  them.  These  accounts  arc  corroborated  by  three  other  settlers, 
who  have  been  here  some  time,  and  arc  all  very  anxious  to  get  back  again  as 
soon  as  they  can.  Hut  I  am  sorry  to  inform  you,  that  all  my  expense  and 

!•  •  r  y*  tjf          1  1  T  1          1  *-        -       I    ..     A|._ 


endeavors  to  procure  a  live  stock  of  cattle  have  been  rendered  abortive  by  the 

iniain  with  who 
of  delivering  the  cattle  at  the  settlement,  as  ho  ought  to  have  done,  ho  only 


imprudence  of'  the  capiain  with  whom  I  contracted  to  procure  it;  for,  instead 


gave  goods  to  the  value,  of  a  certain  number  of  cattle,  and  obtained  a  certifi 
cate  from  the  settlers  that  they  had  received  the  value  of  so  much  callle 


MEMOIR.  143 

though  they  have  no  moans  of  transporting  any  to  the  settlement  j  and,  there 
fore,  if  any  people  are  sent  from  America,  it  will  bo  right  to  make  t»omo  little 
reserve  of  goods,  or  dollars,  to  purchase  a  few  /can,  breeding  cattle  on  the 
African  coast,  for  their  live  slock)  as  they  will  very  soon  increase,  because 
there  is  plenty  of  gross,  and  cattle  thrive  exceedingly  well  in  most  parts  of 
the  African  coast,  where  any  attention  is  paid  to  them.  I  am,  with  sincere 
esteem  and  respect,  reverend  sir,"  &c.,  &c. 

How  many  other  letters  our  Newport  divine  wrote,  on  this 
theme,  to  persons  of  wealth  and  influence,  it  is  impossible  to  deter 
mine.  Two  houses,  in  which  were  probably  many  communications 
from  his  pen,  were  consumed  by  fire,  with  all  their  contents,  several 
years  after  his  death.  It  is  certain,  however,  that  he  had  a  length 
ened  correspondence  on  the  subject  with  Dr.  John  Erskinc,  of  Edin 
burgh,  the  friend  of  President  Edwards.  'One  letter  from  Hopkins 
to  Erskine  is.  here  published  for  the  first  time. 

"January  14,  1780.  Dear  Sir:  I  fool  myself  delinquent,  when  I  find  I 
have  not  written  you  since  January  1,  1788.  This  has  been  owing  chiefly  to 
my  not  having  any  thing  of  importance  to  communicate  or  tu'.nxmit  to  you. 
I  nave,  wince  that,  received  two  letters  with  packets  from  you.  The  lint  was 
dated  October  '20,  1787,  which  did  not  come  till  May  11,  1788.  The  list, 
April  8,  1788,  wjhich  camo  to  hand  the  eleventh  of  August  last,  for  which  I  am 
much  indebted  to  you.  There  have  been  no  publications  hero  of  late,  which 
have  come  within  my  reach,  which  arc  worthy  of  your  particular  notice. 
There  has  not  been  any  revival  of  religion  that  I  have  heard  of  in  the  year 
powt,  except  what  has  taken  place  at  Dartmouth  College,  and  in  some  towns 
west  of  that  in  Vermont,  which,  I -have  been  informed,  has  been  considerable, 
but  do  not  know  particulars.  Infidelity,  Universalism,  irrcligion,  and  worldli- 
ness  generally  prevail.  Dr.  Bellamy  yet  lives  in  much  the  same  state  of 
body  and  mind  in  which  he  has  been  above  two  years ;  utterly  helpless,  and 
in  a  considerable  degree  insane,. especially  at  times.  Last  September,  Dr. 
Stiles  transmitted  to  me  a  letter  which  he  had  received  from  you,  respecting  the 
blacks,  by  whom  it  has  been  proposed  to  propagate  Christian  knowledge  in 
Africa;  in  which  you  projwse,  if  we  think  proper,  that  Drs.  Stiles,  Wales, 
Edwards  and  I  should  jointly  address  the  Society  in  Scotland  for  Propagating 
Christian  Knowledge,  on  that  head,  representing  the  state  and  circumstances 
of  that  affair,  ami  the  prospects  there  were  of  answering  some  important  good 
end  by  encouraging  and  prosecuting  it;  and  that  it  was  likely,  that  society 
would  advance  something  considerable  in  order  to  promote  such  a  design. 
The  matter  has  been  considered,  and  it  does  not  appear  best  to  apply  to  the 
society  at  present.  There  is  a  number  of  Christian  blacks  who  stand  ready 
to  unite  in  a  church  state,  and  have  a  pastor  set-over  them,  (and  there  in  one 
at  least  who  is  thought  fit  for  that  office,)  and  go  to  Africa  and  settle  there 
among  their  brethren,  and  maintain  the  profession  and  practice  of  Christianity, 
and  propagate  Christian  knowledge  in  that  heathen  land,  as  they  shall  have 
opportunity.  But  no  way  has  yet  opened  to  send  some  persons  to  Africa  to 
find  out  and  procure  the  most  convenient  place  for  such  a  settlement.  If  this 
were  done,  the  way  would  bo  open  to  prosecute  the  design,  and  it  would, 
doubtless,  meet  with  encouragement  in  America,  and  the  assistance  of  your 
society  would  answer  important  ends. 

44  A  settlement  of  blacks  has,  within  these  two  years,  been  made-  from  Eng 
land,  at  Sierra  Leone,  in  Africa,  and  it  is  said  that  a  purchase  of  land  twenty 
miles  square  has  been  made  for  them.  We  hope  to  know  soon  on  what  con 
ditions  this  land  may  bo  settled,  and  whether  the  blacks  which  would  go  from 
America  may  have  any  of  this  tract  to  settle  upon.  If  it  should  be  found  that 
they  may,  the  way  would  be  opened  to  prosecute  our  plan,  and  then  wo 


144  MEMOIR. 

should,  doubtless,  apply  to  your  society  for  assistance,  not  doubting  of  their 
readiness  to  grant  it.    I  am  your  obliged,  affectionate  friend, 

SAMUEL  HOPKINS." 

The  ensuing  letter  to  Dr.  Hurt  unfolds  the  union,  which  existed  in 
the  mind  of  Hopkins,  between  the  manumission  of  our  bondmen  and 
the  Christian  colonization  of  Africa.  At  the  time  of  writing  this 
letter,  the  Connecticut  Society  for  emancipating  the  slave  was  about 
to  revise  and  enlarge  its  constitution,  and  Dr«  Hart  was  deeply 
engaged  in  the  project : 

"  August  30,  1701.  I  approve  of  your  proposal  of  writing  to  the  society  in 
Scotland.  But  one  difficulty  attends  it  They  will  probably  expect  that  I 
should  nominate  some  gentlemen  for  commissioners.  But  I  know  not  who 
would  best  answer  the  end,  or  whore  a  sufficient  number  can  be  found  of 
such,  who  live  in  a  vicinity,  so  ns  to  be  able  to', meet  together  as  often  as 
would  be  necessary  to  answer  the  end  of  their  appointment  I  should  mention 
you  for  one;  but  where  could  others  be  found.-'  I  believe  I  shall  defer  writ 
ing  till  I  hear  from  you  again,  and  know  what. your  society  will  do  at  their 
next  meeting,  and  who  you  think  of  as  commissioners,  &c. 

"I  wish,  if  you  apply  for  a  charter,  the -affair  of  making  a  settlement  of 
blacks  in  Africa,  to  civilize  the  nations  there,  and  propagate  Christianity 
among  them,  and  the  proj>osal  to  fit  persons  for  missionaries,  schoolmasters, 
husbandry,  mechanic  trades,  &c.,  might  be  mentioned  and  included,  if  the 
members  would  agree  in  such  a  plan." 

A  still  more  decisive  exhibition  of  the  mode  in  which  Hopkins  unit 
ed  his  plan  for  terminating  slavery  with  his  plan  fc»r  sending  reputable 
colonies  to  Africa,  is  presented  in  the  following  extract  from  a  sermon, 
which  he  delivered  before  the  Providence  Society  for  Abolishing  the 
Slave  Trade,  etc.*  That  sermon  gives  proof  of  the  energy  which  its 
author  was  able  to  summon  at  the  nge  of  seventy-two.  He  says: 

"  We  may  hope,  that  all  this  dark  and  dreadful  scene  will  not  only  have  an 
end,  but  is  designed  by  the  Most  High  to  be  the  mean  of  introducing  the  gos 
pel  among  the  nations  in  Africa;  tint  those  who  have  embraced  the  gospel, 
while  among  us,  with  all  who  have  been  or  may  be,  in  some  good  measure, 
civilized  and  instructed,  will,  by  our  assistance,  return  to  Africa,  and  spread 
the  light  of  the  gospel  in  that  now  dark  part  of  the  world,  and  propagate  those 
arts  and  that  science  which  shall  recover  them  from  that  ignorance  and  bar 
barity  which  now  prevail,  to  be  a  civili/.ed,  Christian,  and  happy  people ;  mak 
ing  as  great  improvement  in  all  useful  knowledge,  and  in  the  practice  of 
righteousness,  benevolence,  and  piety,  as  has  yet  been  done  by  any  people  on 
earth,  and  much  greater.  Thus  all  this  past  and  present  evil,  which  the  Af 
ricans  have  suffered  by  the  slave  trade  and  the  slavery  to  which  so  many  of 
them  have  been  reduced,  may  bo  the  occasion  of  an  overbalancing  good;  and 
it  may  hereafter  appear,  as  it.  has  in  the  case  of  Joseph  being  sold  a  slave  into 
Egypt,  and  the  oppression  and  slavery  of  the  Israelites  by  the  Egyptians,  that 
though  the  slave  traders  have  really  meant  and  done  that  which  is  evil,  yet 
God  has  designed  it  all  for  good,  the  good  of  which  all  this  evil  shall  be  the 

*  The  tillo  of  tlio  sermon  is  i\s  follows  :  «<  A  Discourse  npon  tlie  Slave  Trade,  and 
the  Slavery  of  tlio  Africnns  ;  delivered  in  the  Hnptist  Meeting-house  at  Providence, 
before  the  Providence  Society  for  Abolishing  the,  Slnve  Trnde,  &c.,  nt  their  Annual 
Meeting,  on  May  17,  1793.  By  Samuel  Hopkins,  I).  D.,  Pastor  of  the  First  Congrega 
tional  Church  in  Newport,  and  Member  of  »aid  Society.  Printed  at  Providence,  by 
J.  Carter,  1793." 


MEMOIR.  145 

occasion.  —  Ought  not  this  prospect  to  animate  us  earnestly  to  pray  for  such 
a  happy  event,  and  to  exert  ourselves  to  the  utmost  to  promote  it.  Can  we 
be  inuiflerent*iffid  negligent  in  this  matter,  without  slighting  and  disobeying 
the  command  of  Christ,  to  go  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every 
creature  ?  And  will  not  such  an  attempt  to  send  tno  gospel  to  Africa,  being 
willing  to  spare  no  expense  or  labor  thus  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  Sa- 
vionr  among  the  nations  there,  be  a  proper  expression  of  our  love  and  regard 
to  this  benevolent,  imi>ortant  injunction  ?" 

Nor  was  the  preacher  satisfied  with  this  appeal ;  but  he  appended 
to  his  discourse  the  ensuing  statement,  which  he  spread  over  th'c 
length  mid  breadth  of  New  England. 

"  The  proposal  of  assisting  the  blacks  among  us  to  go  and  make  a  settle 
ment  in  Africa,  which  has  been  mentioned  in  the  preceding  discourse,  I  have 
thought  to  be  of  such  importance,  as  to  require  a  more  particular  explanation 
to  be  laid  before  the  public,  with  the  reasons  for  it,  for  their  consideration ; 
hoping  that,  if  it  be  generally  approved,  it  will  excite  those  united,  generous 
exert ioas  which  are  necessary,  in  order  to  effect  it. 

"  There  are  a  considerable  ifnmbcr  of  free  blacks  in  New  England,  and  in 
other  parts  of  the  United  States,  some  of  whom  are  industrious,  and  of  a  good 
moral  character ;  and  some  of  them  appear  to  be  truly  pious,  who  are  desirous 
to  remove  to  Africa,  and  settle  there.  They  who  are  religious  would  be 
glad  to  unite  as  Christian  brethren,  and  move  to  Africa,  having  one  instructor, 
or  more,  and  cultivate  the  land  which  they  may  obtain  there,  and  maintain 
the  practice  of  Christianity  in  the  night  of  their  now  heathen  brethren ;  and 
endeavor  to  instruct  and  civilize  them,  and  spread  the  knowledge  of  the  gospel 
among  them. 

"  In  order  to  effect  this  in  the  bent  manner,  a  vessel  must  be  procured,  and 
proper  sailors  provided,  to  go  to  Africa,  with  a  number  of  persons,  both  white 
and  black,  perhaps,  who  nhull  be  thought  equal  to  the  business,  to  search  that 
country,  and  find  a  place  where  a  settlement  may  bo  made  with  the  consent 
of  the  inhabitants  there;  the  land  being  given  by  them,  or  purchased  of  them, 
and  so  as  best  to  answer  the  ends  projxwcd.  If  such  a  place  can  be  found, 
as  no  doubt  it  may,  they  must  return,  and  the  blacks  must  be  collected  who 
are  willing  to  go  and  settle  there,  and  form  themselves  into  a  civil  society, 
by  agreeing  in  a  constitution  and  a  code  of  laws,  by  which  they  will  be 
regulated. 

"  And  they  must  be  furnished  with  every  thing  necessary  and  proper  to  trans 
port  and  settle  them  there,  in  a  safe  and  comfortable  manner ;  with  shipping  and 
provisions,  till  tli-ey  can  procure  them  in  Africa,  by  their  own  labor,  and  with 
instruments  and  utensils  necessary  to  cultivate  the  land,  build  houses,  &c. ; 
end  have  all  the  protection  and  assistance  they  will  need,  while  settling,  and 
when  settled  there.  And,  if  necessary,  a  number  of  white  people  must  go 
with  them  ;  one  or  more,  to  superintend  their  affairs,  and  others  to  survey  and 
lay  out  their  lands,  build  mills  and  houses,  &c.  But  these  must  not  think  of 
settling  there  for  lite ;  and  the  blacks  are  to  be  left  to  themselves,  when  they 
shall  be  able  to  conduct  their  own  affairs,  and  need  no  further  assistance  ;  and 
bo  left  a  free,  independent  people. 

"This  appears  to  be  the  best  and  only  plan  to  put  \he  blacks  among  us  in 
tho  most  agreeable  situation  for  themselves,  and  to  render  them  most  useful 
to  their  brethren  in  Africa,  by  civili/.ing  them,  and  teaching  them  how  to 
cultivate  their  lands,  nnd  spreading  thn  knowledge  of  the  Christian  religion 
among  them.  The  whites  aro  no  habituated,  by  education  and  custom,  to 
look  ujK)n  and  treat  tho  bhcks  a.s  an  inferior  class  of  beings,  and  they  are 
sunk  so  low  by  their  situation,  and  the  treatment  they  receive  from  us,  that 
they  never  can  be  raised  to  an  equility  with  the  whites,  and  enjoy  all  the 
liberty  and  rights  to  which  they  have  a  just  claim ;  or  have  all  tho  encourage- 
m 


146  MEMOIR. 

merits  and  motives  to  make  improvements  of  every;  kind,  which  are  desirable. 
But,  if  they  were  removed  to  Africa,  this  evil  would  Cease,  and  they  would 
enjoy  all  desirable  equality  and  liberty,  and  live  in  a  climate  which  is  pecu 
liarly  suited  to  their  constitution.  And  they  would  be  under  advantages  to 
sot  an  example  of  industry,  and  the  best  manner  of  cultivating  the  land,  of 
civil  life,  of  morality  and  religion,  which  wonld  tend  td  gain  the  attention  of 
the  inhabitants  of  that  country,  and  persuade  them  to  receive  instruction,  and 
embrace  the  gospel. 

"  These  United  States  arc  able  to  be  at  the  expense  of  prosecuting  such  a 
plan,  of  which  these  hints  are  some  of  the  outlines.  And  is  not  this  the  beat 
way  that  can  be  taken  to  compensate  the  blacks,  both  irt  America  and  Africa, 
for  the  injuries  they  have  received  by  the  slave  trade  and  slavery,  and  that 
which  righteousness  nnd  bcncvolcnco  must  dictate?  And  even  selfishness 
will  bo  pleased  with  such  a  plan  as  thin,  and  excite  to  exertions  to  carry  it 
into  e fleet,  when  the  advantages  of  it  to  the  public  and  to  individuals  are  well 
considered  and  realized.  This  will  gradually  draw  off  all  the  blacks  in  Now 
England,  and  even  in  the  Middle  and  Southern  States,  as  fast  ad  they  can  be 
set  free,  by  which  this  nation  will  be  delivered  from  that  which,  in  the  view 
of  every  discerning  man,  is  a  great  calamity,  and  inconsistent  with  the  good  -. 
of  society  ;  and  is  now  really  a  great  injury  to' most  of  the  white  inhabitant*,  W 
especially  in  the  Southern  Suites.  <- 

"  And  by  the  increase  and  flourishing  of  such  a  plantation  of  free  people  in 
Africa,  where-  all  tho  tropical  fruits  and  productions,  and  tho  articles  which 
we  fetch  from  the  West  Indies,  may  be  raised  in  great  abundance,  by  proper 
cultivation,  and  many  other  useful  things  procured,  a  commerce  may  tukc 
place,  and  be  maintained,  between  those  settlements  and  the  United  States 
of  America,  which  will  bo  of  very  great  and  increasing  advantage  to  both. 

"  And  this  will  have  the  greatest  tendency  wholly  to  abolish  the  abominable 
trade  in  human  flesh,  and  will  certainly  ellect  it,  if  all  other  attempts  prove 
unsuccessful. 

"  That  such  a  plan  is  practicable,  is  evident  from  the  experiment  which  has 
lately  been  made  in  forming  a  settlement  of  blacks  at  Sierra  Leone.  Above 
a  thousand  blacks  were  transported  from  Nova  Scotia  to  that  place  last  year ; 
who,  by  the  assistance  of  a  small  number  of  whites,  and  supplies  from  Eng 
land,  have  formed  a  town  and  plantation,  which,  by  the  latest  accounts,  is  now 
in  a  flourishing  condition;  the  inhabitants  living  in  peace  and  amity  with  the 
neighboring  nations,  and  with  a  promising  prospect  of 'being  a  great  ad 
vantage  to  them,  by  teaching  them  to  cultivate  their  lands,  and  civilizing 
them,  and  showing  them  the  advantages  of  peace  and  of  industry,  and  trade 
in  the  productions  of  their  country,  and  spreading  the  knowledge  of  Christian 
ity  among  them.  This  will  gradually  put  an  end  to  the  slave  trade,  and  to 
slavery,  in  that  part  of  the  continent.  And  from  this  settlement,  there  is  a 
rational  prospect  of  a  commerce,  in  the  productions  of  that  climate,  with 
Britain,  which  will  be  so  profitable  as  more  than  to  compensate  the  latter  for 
all  the  expense  of  forming  and  carrying  it  on,  and  will  be  greatly  advantageous 
to  both  nations. 

"There  is  reason  to  believe  that  a  settlement  may  be  made  by  the  blacks 
now  in  tho  United  States,  in  some  part  of  Africa,  either  on  the  river  Sierra 
Leone  or  in  some  other  place,  which  will  be  as  advantageous  to  those  who 
shall  settle  there,  and  to  the  adjacent  nations,  as  this  which  has  been  men 
tioned,  and  with  much  less  expense ;  and  which  will  be  a  greater  benefit  to 
this  nation,  than  that  may  be  to  Britain. 

"  Are  there  not,  then,  motives  sufficient  to  induce  the  Legislature  of  this 
nation  to  enter  upon  and  prosecute  this  design  ?  to  form  a  plan,  and  execute 
ii,  aa  wisdo.n  shall  direct  ?  And  is  there  not  reason  to  think  that  it  would 
meet  with  general  approbation  ?  But  if  this  cannot  be,  may  not  this  be  effected 
by  the  societies  in  these  States,  who  [which]  are  formed  with  a  design  to 
promote  the  best  good  of  the  Africans  ?  Would  not  this  bo  answering  the 


MEMOIR.  147 

end  of  their  institution,  in  tho  best  way  that  can  be  devised,  and  in  imitation 
of  that  which  has  been  formed  in  Great  Britain  for  tho  some  purpose  ? 

"  Is  there  not  reason  to  believe,  that,  if  such  a  plan  was  well  digested,  and 
properly  laid  before  the  public,  and  urged,  with  the  reasons  which  offer,  and 
a  company  or  committee  formed  to  conduct  the  affair,  there  might  be  a  sum 
collected  sufficient  to  carry  it  into  effect  ? 

"  The  General  Court  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  did,  some 
time  ago,  make  a  resolve  to  the  following  purpose :  That  when  a  place  can 
be  found  in  Africa,  where  the  blacks  in  that  State  may  settle  to  their  ad 
vantage,  they  would  furnish  them  with  shipping  and  provisions  sufficient  tat 
transport  them  there,  and  with  arms  sufficient  to  defend  them,  and  farming 
utensils  sufficient  to  cultivate  their  lands.  If  all  tin  States  in  the  Union,  ori 
most  of  them,  would  take  the  same  measure,  such  a  design  might  be  «oon 
and  easily  carried  into  execution.  Nothing  appears  to  DC  wanting  but  a 
proper,  most  reasonable  zc«/,  in  so  good  a  cauac." 

The  preceding  document  suggests  the  following,  among  other 
comments : 

First.  It  is  obvious  that  the  colony  which  Hopkins  proposed,  was 
not  to  have  un  exclusively  missionary  character.  It  was  to  be  a  free 
and  independent  nation,  cultivating  the  arts  of  life,  and  conducting  a 
foreign  commerce. 

Secondly.  It  is  equally  evident,  that  our  reformer  did  not  intend 
to  make  the  piety  of  the  Africans  an  indispensable  qualification  for 
their  joining  his  colony,  at  its  commencement  even.  He  would  even 
then  admit  nil  who  were  "  industrious  and  of  a  good  moral  char 
acter." 

Thirdly.  His  scheme  was  self-consistent  and  comprehensive.  To 
some  it  may  appear,  that  his  plan  of  sending  to  Africa  such  blacks 
only  as  would  exert  there  a  good  moral  influence,  cannot  be  recon 
ciled  with  his  scheme  of  sending  ««  all  the  blacks "  in  the  United 
States  to  their  father-land.  There  is,  however,  an  entire  congruity 
between  the  two  proposals.  He  intended  to  transport,  Jirst,  such 
colonists  only  as  bore  a  good  character,  and  such  as  would  lay  the 
foundations  of  a  Christian  government.  When  a  colony  bad  been 
firmly  established,  on  religious  principles,  it  would,  in  bis  view,  exert 
a  salutary  moral  influence  upon  our  whole  colored  population,  if 
they  should  «*  gradually  "  emigrate  to  it.  Then,  their  emigration 
would  be  desirable,  as  it  would  be  an  emigration  for  Christian  pur 
poses,  and  with  a  prospect  of  maintaining  Christian  institutions. 

Fourthly.  Our  philanthropist  cannot  be  accused  of  any  want  of 
sympathy  with  his  colored  brethren,  in  his  proposing  their  removal 
to  their  father-land.  He  hud  no  desire  toforee  them  from  our  shores, 
for  our  own  comfort  or  convenience.  He  did  not  favor  their  re 
moval  against  their  will.  It  was  tlicir  good  which  prompted  his 
efforts.  He  had.  a  profound  conviction,  that  they  never  would  be  so 
happy  among  us,  as  they  could  be  in  an  independent  nation  by  them 
selves;  that  their  physical  condition  would  be  improved  by  returning 
to  the  climate  of  their  ancestors ;  that  their  mental,  and,  above  all, 


149  MEMOIR. 

thei?  spiritual  welfare  required  a  government  especially  adapted  to 
them.  For  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he  hnd  lived  in  the  neighborhood 
of  the  Stockbridge  Indians,  and  had  seen  the  difficulty  of  persuading 
the  superior  race  to  treat  the  inferior  with  a  becoming  friendliness. 
Of  course  ho  blamed  the  prevalent  disposition  to  injure  the  weaker 
classes.  But  ho  looked  upon  the  disposition  a4  an  existing  fuct, 
and  he  therefore  devised  means  for  avoiding  its  influence. 

Fifthly.  Whether  Hopkins  were  right  or  wrong  in  his  coloniza 
tion  scheme,  (and  tins  is  no  plnco  for  expressing  an  opinion  on  the 
subject,)  ho  was  in  advance  of  his  ago.  In  the  year  1850-1,  many 
of  the  most  eminent  citizens  of  Rhode  Island  presented  a  petition  to 
Congress,  in  favor  of  transporting  to  Africa,  at  the  national  ex 
pense,  such  negroes  as  may  desire  to  emigrate  thither.  Perhaps  not 
one  of  these  petitioners  was  aware  that,  fifty-eight  years  before  they 
madu  their  proposal,  substantially  the  same  plan  hud  been  published 
to  the  world  by  a  Newport  pastor.  These  petitioners  requested  that, 
as  the  Coloni/utioii  Soeicty  could  not  remove  all  the  blacks  who 
might  wish  to  change  their  residence,  the  national  government  would 
lend  its  aid.  Hopkins  bad  proposed,  more  than  ft  half  century  be 
fore,  that  the  national  government  should  bo  at  the  expense  of  the 
transportation ;  or,  if  this  aid  could  not  be  procured,  that  a  company 
should  be  formed  to  superintend  tlio  removal.  This  «*  company  " 
would  be,  in.  fart,  u  colonization  society,  conducted  on  such  prin 
ciples  as  Grnnville  Sharp  and  Wilborib/cc  would  approve;  ou  such 
principles  as  would  secure  a  preponderating  religious  influence. 

Twenty  years  lifter  his  first  public  movement  in  favor  of  the 
Africans,  Hopkins  addressed  the  following  letter  to  Dr.  Hart: 

"July  2!>,  1703.  firistol  Ynmma  is  out  of  hcnlth,  nmt  cnn  do  little  or  no 
business.  Ho  has  been  advised  to  go  into  a  wanner  climate,  supposing  it 
would  conduce  to  his  health.  There  is  a  prospect  of  un  opportunity  for  him 
to  go  to  Sierra  Leono  next  full,  nml  spend  tlio  winter  there.  There  is  a  gon- 
tlonmn  in  thin  town  who  ha.s  lately  como  from  that  place,  nnd  informs  me  that 
tho  settlement  of  blacks  on  that  river,  about  eight  miles  above  the  mouth  of 
tho  river,  called  Freetown,  goes  on  with  success  and  agreeable  prospects; 
that  eleven  hundred  blacks  or  more  arc  settled  there,  ami  within  a  year  have 
cleared  a  largo  quantity  of  land,  and  done  a  surprising  deal  of  work ;  that  they 
nrc  all  contented  and  pleased  and  healthy,  —  appear  sober  nnd  pious,  meet 
ing  morning  and  evening  for  prayers,  &c.  They  have  a  Governor  from  Eng 
land,  and  several  other  gentlemen  to  tuko  care  ot  the  affaire  of  tho  settlement, 
who  aro  upright,  benevolent  men,  nnd  very  friendly  to  the  blacks,  treating 
them  upon  on  equality  with  themselves.  They  nrn  preparing  to  raise  sugar 
cane,  coileo,  &c.  lie  Kays  he  is  acquainted  with  that  river  nnd  Iho  adjacent 
country,  having  lived  there  many  years;  that  he  doubts  not  land  may  be  had 
in  those  parts  for  any  number  to  settle  upon,  who  should  bo  inclined  to  go 
from  America.  If  Bristol  could  go,  (and  it  would  be  desirable  that  one  more, 
nt  least,  should  go  with  him,)  ho  might  promote  the  design  of  a  proposed  set 
tlement,  by  getting  acquainted  with  the  country  nnd  inhabitant1',  and  perhaps 
finding  u  place  whcro  a  settlement  may  be  made,  nnd  on  what  terms  land  may 
be  had.  This  cannot  bo  done  without  some  money.  I  will  give  fifty  dollars 
toward  it,  if  it  can  be  carried  into  effect.  Perhaps,  if  the  plan  nnd  proposal 


MEMOIR.  149 

should  bo  laid  before  iho  Connecticut  Abolition  Society,  at  their  next  meeting 
at  New  Haven,  or  communicated  to  individuals  who  are  most  likely  to  forward 
the  matter,  money  might  be  obtained  for  that  end.  —  Such  a  settlement,  pro 
moted  by  the  Americana,  would  not  only  tend  to  the  good  of  the  Africans,  but 
would,  in  time,  be  a  source  of  a  profitable  trade  to  America,  instead  of  the 
West  India  trade,  which  will  probably  fail  more  and  more,  as  the  curse  of 
Heaven  seems  to  bo  coming  on  those  islands,  where  the  slavery  of  the  Afri 
cans,  in  all  the  horrors  of  it,  has  been  practised  BO  long." 

Now,  in  his  seventy-third  year,  our  reformer  is  as  eager  ns  he  had 
been  to  communicate,  as  well  as  to  receive,  information  in  rcferenco 
to  Iiis  favorite  scheme.  Ho  writes  to  Dr.  Hart : 

"  October  31,  at  night,  1793.  Reverend  and  Dear  Sir :  All  the  information 
I  can  give  respecting  the  men  of  [whom]  Bristol  spoke  to  you,  is  the  follow 
ing:  A  white  man,  about  sixty  years  old,  and  a  black,  called  upon  me,  and 
Hiiid  they  came  from  Saint  Croix,  a  Danish  inland.  The  black  was  a  native 
of  that  island,  a  free  man,  and  a  Moravian.  He  spoke  good  English,  and  is  a 
man  of  property.  lie  Hays  there  are  five  thousand  free  blacks  in  that  island. 
Tho  white  comes  from  Denmark.  He  speaks  English  badly,  and  talks  so  fast 
that  I  could  not  understand  a  great  part  of  what  he  said.  But  I  collected  the 
following  from  him : 

"The  king  of  the  Danes  has  lately  made  a  [purchase]  of  land  in  Guinea, 
lying  in  the  fifth  degree  of  north  latitude,  of  eighty  miles  square,  on  which  ho 
proposes  to  make  a  settlement  of  blacks  only.  The  whites,  who  accompany 
them,  to  protect  and  astsiwt  them  in  forming  a  settlement,  a  civil  government, 
&c.,  are  to  have  no  land,  but  leave  the  country  to  the  blacks  as  soon  as  they 
have  answered  the  end  for  which  they  arc  to  bo  sent.  They  are  to  raise  tho 
productions  of  that  climate,  and  Denmark  is  to  have  tho  monopoly  of  their 
trade,  as  tho  only  compensation.  —  This  gentleman  represent*  himself  as  sent 
by  the  king  of  Denmark  to  go  and  view  said  tract  of  land,  and  neo  whether  a 
settlement  can  be  made  upon  it,  and  where,  or  in  what  part  of  it,  &c.  Tho 
black  is  going  witli  him.  They  have  hired  a  vessel,  at  Providence,  to  carry 
them  to  Guinea,  for  which  ho  gives  five  hundred  dollars.  They  have  both 
engaged  to  send  mo  information  of  their  success.  Tho  whito  man  appears 
to  bo  a  Lutheran ;  but  says  Christians  of  all  denominations  will  be  allowed  to 
settle  there;  —  that  there  aro  seven  whites  and  blacks  already  gone  there, 
whom  they  expect  to  find  on  the  spot  On  tho  whole,  tho  afl'air  has  a  roman 
tic  appearance,  and  I  suspect  will  come  to  nothing.  Tho  appearance  of  tho 
white  man  is  not  promising;  and  it  is  rather  improbable  that  such  a  man 
should  bo  sent  by  his  Danish  majesty  on  such  business ;  but  time  will  bring 
forth." 

At  length,  June  9,  1794,  this  tenacious  man  communicates  a  dis 
couraging  fact  to  Dr.  Hart : 

"  I  have  got  no  farther  information  respecting  tho  settlement  of  tho  blacks 
at  Sierra  Leone.  When  at  Providence,  I  inquired  after  tho  black,  who,  I 
heard,  came  from  that  place,  but  could  get  no  information.  I  believe  the  story 
was  magnified.  The  Abolition  Society  were  to  take  the  matter  into  consid 
eration,  at  their  meeting  in  May.  But  [I]  have  not  heard  what  they  did ;  — 
believe  they  did  nothing.  Tho  .Friends  aro  always  backward  in  promoting 
Huch  settlement,  nnd  are  tho  most  active  members,  and  nothing  can  be  dono 
without  them.  Bristol  Yaimna  is  dead !  He  died  last  January,  in  North  Car 
olina." 

But  although  the  prospects  of  our  philanthropist  were  dark  in  his 
own  country,  he  continued  to  enjoy  the  sympathies  of  his  fellow- 
m* 


promismou$t  but 
LfricansJbut  in- 
ligion.  JLVo  of 


ISO  MfcfoOIK. 

laborers  in  England.  We  find  that  at  tins  period  ho  was  engaged  in 
a  correspondence  with  Zachary  Macnulay,  BO  highly  celebrated  as 
editor  of  the  Christian  Observer,  as  the  companion  of  Scott,  Newton, 
and  Wilberforce,  and  more  recently  as  tho  father  of  the  historian, 
Thomas  Babington  Macauluy.  Tho  correspondence  is  valuable,  as 
it  shows  the  care  which  both  Macaulay  and  Hopkins  took,  in  select 
ing  worthy  emigrants  for  the  new  settlement  on  the  African  coast. 
It  corroborates  the  preceding  assertion,  that  the  colonization  which 
Hopkins  favored  was  not,  in  its  early  stages,  to  be  promismou$t  but 
select ;  not  limited,  however,  to  the  strictly  pions  Africans, 
chiding  also  those  who  were  apparently  favorable  to  reli 
Mr.  Macaulay's  letters  are  here  inserted,  for  the  sake  of  illustrating 
the  kind  of  missionary  coloni/.ation  in  which  Hopkins  was  engaged. 

"Freetown,  Sierra  Leone,  11)  March,  17!)r>.  Reverend  Sir:  We  refer 
yon  to  the  enclosed  paper,  marked  No.  1,  for  nn  explanation  of  the  reasons 
which  have,  induced  us  at  this  time  to  trouble  yon.  We  have  considered 
it  as  a  sufficient  ground  on  which  to  solicit  your  good  offices,  that  you  are 
interested  in  tho  catiKC  of  humanity,  and  that  you  are  tcalous  in  the  service 
of  Christ.  Believing,  therefore,  that  you  will  regard  no  task  as  a  burden 
which  gives  you  an  opportunity  of  manifesting  these  dispositions,  we  ad 
dress  you  on  the  present  occasion,  with,  the  full  assurance  that,  you  will 
be  favorable  to  our  views,  and  that  you  will  spare  lio  pains  in  fulfilling 
them. 

"  You  already  know,  that  several  families  of  people  of.  color,  belonging  to 
Providence,  have  joined  in  making  an  application  to  UH  for  a  settlement  al 
Sierra  Leone;  and  though  we  be  by  no  means  desirous  of  an  accession  of 
colon'mts,  yet  their  implication  has  been  so  urgent,  that  we  have  hern  induced 
to  comply  with  it.  The  number  to  bo  received  is,  however,  limited  to  twelve 
families  ;  nnd  on  perusing  the  condition*,  you  will  see  thnt  even  these  are  not 
to  be  received,  unless  they  present  satisfactory  testimonials  of  their  moral 
character,  signed  by  you  and  another  clergyman,  and  by  the  President  of  the 
Abolition  Society. 

"Tho  difficulties  which  have  already  arisen,  in  forming  this  settlement, 
from  the  injudicious  admission  of  persons  of  doubtful  character,  have  led  us 
to  guard  more  carefully  against  a  similar  evil  in  the  present  instance.  These 
difficulties  have  arisen,  either  from  fallacious  notions  of  civil  rights,  (n  thing 
not  to  1)0  wondered  at  in  emancipated  slaves,)  from  extreme  vehemence  of 
temper,  or  from  low,  confused  ami  imperfect  ideas  of  moral  rectitude.  Tho 
first  of  these  mav,  no  doubt,  be  corrected  by  enlightening  their  minds ;  the 
second  mav  be  curbed  by  wholesome  laws;  and  the  last  may  bo  amended  and 
improved  by  the  preaching  of  the  gospel:  but  we  should  be  much  better 
pleased  to  have  an  accession  of  colonists  who  would  strengthen  our  hands  in 
accomplishing  these  purpose's,  than  of  men  who  would  furnish  us  with  addi 
tional  employment  in  that  way. 

"  There  is  another  evil,  however,  which  we  fear  may  prevail  among  those 
with  whom  the  present  application  has  originated,  and  which  we  wish  to  guard 
against  with  more  care  than  even  against  these.  We  menu  the  evil  of  specu 
lative  infidelity.  From  general  circumstances  which  have  passed  under  our 
observation,  we  are  led  to  judge,  that  the  poison  of  the  'Age  of  Reason'* 
may  have  pervaded  even  this  class  of  men.  Now,  we  tnist  you  will  agree 
with  us,  in  thinking  that  the  introduction  of  one  nucli  unbeliever  into  a 

*  It  may  here  1x5  niftttioucil,  (hat  tlio  author  of  the  "  Age  of  Reason"  had  bccu  ac 
tively  engaged  in  behalf  of  tlic  Pennsylvania  Abolition  Society. 


MEMOIR.  151 

colony  founded  for  the  exprcas  purpose  of  spreading  among  tho  heathen  tho 
knowledge  of  a  Saviour,  might  prove  an  evil  beyond  all  calculation.  Wo  arc 
not  such  bigots  as  to  require  subscription  to  creeds  and  articles ;  nor  are  we 
such  latitudinarians,  as  to  be  willingly  accessory  to  admitting  into  tho  colony 
otic  person  who  1ms  learned  to  treat  religion  with  contempt.  However  great 
tho  usefulness  of  such  people  might  bo  in  other  respects,  wo  should  conceive 
ourselves  to  be  more  essentially  serving  tho  cause  of  God,  by  forming  a 
colony  of  the  blindest  of  those  blind  .people  who  now  inhabit  this  land.  We 
do  not  look  for  characters  of  eminent  piety,  but  we  would  expect  a  sober 
demeanor,  good  intentions,  and  a  disposition  favorable  to  religion.  Without 
these,  no  man  can  make  a  good  member  of  any  community ;  much  less  of 
one  established  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  prenching  to  Africa  the  acceptable 
year  of  the  Lord.  What  we  have,  than,  particularly  to  request  of  you,  sir,  is, 
that  you  would  refuse  your  signature  to  any  person's  certificate  with  whom 
you  have  not  reason  to  be  satisfied  in  this  respect,  as  well  as  in  every  other. 
Religion  is  not,  indeed,  expressly  mentioned  in  the  conditions,  ns  necessary 
to  form  a  part  of  their  character  who  migrate  hither ;  but  as  we  think  you  will 
agree  with  us  in  opinion,  that  none  can  with  propriety  be  entitled  to  the 
(1. -nomination  of  moral,  of  whose  characters  religion  does  not  form  the  basis, 
the  omission  is  of  no  moment. 

"  Wo  have  written  on  this  subject  to  you  alone ;  but  wo  beg  of  you  to 
communicate  our  sentiments  to  the  Chairman  of  tho  Abolition  Society,  and  to 
any  other  clergyman  you  may  think  proper  to  associate  with  you. 

"  Wo  enclose  a  paper,  No.  2,  which  will  give  you  some  notion  of  tho  extent 
to  which  the  slave  trade  is  carried  on  in  our  neighborhood  by  Americans. 
We  hoped  that  the  act  of  your  Congress  would  have  effectually  abolished  it; 
but  we  find,  on  the  contrary,  that  it  has  considerably  increased  since  tho  timo 
of  the  passing  of  that  act.  Had  we  had  tiijio,  wo  should  havo  Hunt  you,  by 
this  opportunity,  a  sketch  of  the  history  and  nature  of  this  settlement,  but  we, 
shall  embrace  an  early  opportunity  of  doing  it.  We  think  it  right  to  say,  that 
the  behavior  of  Mr.  James  MaeKenzie,  as  far  as  wo  have  had  the  means  of 
observing  it,  has  been  proper  and  becoming. 

44  Requesting  your  pardon  for  thn  .liberty  we  have  now  presumed  to  take, 
and  wishing  you  continued  and  increasing  fienlth  and  happiness, 

"  We  remain,  reverend  sir,  your  very  fiiithful  and  obedient  servants, 

/ACIIAHY  MACAULAY,  Acting  Governor. 
JAMF.S  WATT,  Councillor  P.  S. 

"  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins,  Providence,  Rhode  Island." 

" Freetown,  October  20,  17!)0.  Dear  Sir:  On  my  return  from  England 
in  March  last,  I  was  favored  with  your  much  esteemed  letter  of  tho  ninth  [of] 
September,  171 '5,  and  had  also  an  opportunity  of  seeing  your  obliging  com 
munications  to  the  Governor  and  Council.  In  their  name,  I  beg  to  make  tho 
heartiest  acknowledgments  for  the  attention  you  was  pleased  to  pay  to  their 
requests.  They  feel  themselves  particularly  indebted  to  you,  for  tho  con- 
Fulcnitoncsg  with  which  you  withheld  your  recommendation  from  persons  who 
might  otherwise  have  caused  them  much  trouble  ;  a  circumstance,  which  will 
le-nl  them  to  receive  with  much  regard  any  recommendation  which,  at  any 
future  period,  you  may  bo  induced  to  mnke  them. 

"  I  beg  now  to  return  you  my  best  thanks  for  the  pleasuro  afforded  me  by 
your  letter,  as  well  as  by  the  tracts  accompanying  it.  I  have  perused  them 
with  profit,  and  have  only  to  regret,  that  an  oversight  of  Captain  Benson's, 
should  havo  deprived  me  of  the  satisfaction  of  perusing  some  more  bulky  pro 
ductions  of  the  same  pen.  During  my  late  visit  to  Lurope,  I  had  an  oppor 
tunity  of  passing  some  timo  at  Edinburgh.  My  very  excellent  and  venerable 
friend,  Dr.  Erskine,  communicated  to  mo  the  substance  of  tho  interesting 
account  you  give  of  your  labors  in  behalf  of  this  benighted  land.  It  ia  to  bo 
regretted,  that  they  should  have  hitherto  proved  so  fruitless.  We  may,  how 
ever,  regard  that  and  every  similar  effort  that  has  been  made,  however  to  our 


152  MEMOIR. 

view  they  may  have  appeared  vain,  as  silently  operating  in  producing  that 
striking  and  unexampled  eagerness,  with  which  the  Christian  world  in  Europe 
is  now  pursuing  tine  benevolent  object  of  evangelizing  the  heathen.  During 
my  short  stay  at  home,  I  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  a  mission  undertaken 
by  the  Baptists  to  India,  and  another  to  Africa,  one  undertaken  by  the 
Weslcvan  Methodists  to  the  interior  of  the  same  country,  and  one  put  in  a  fair 
way  of  being  undertaken  by  the  Moravians.  A  society  for  missions  had  also 
been  formed,  which  embraced  all  sects  of  Evangelical  Pcdo-Baptists,  to  the 
funds  of  which  £10,000  sterling  had  boon  subscribed,  whose  object,  in  the  first 
instance,  is  the  South  Sea  Islands.  It  is  with  some  concern  I  add,  that  the 
Methodist  mission  to  this  country  has  entirely  failed,  through  the  untitness  of 
die  instruments,  and  that  the  IJaptist  mission  near  us  languishes  from  the 
same  cause. 

"One  of  my  objects  in  visiting  Edinburgh  was,  to  procure  some  pious  men 
to  accompany  me  on  my  return,  as  servants  of  the  Company  ;  and  in  this  I 
succeeded  to  my  wish.  I  was  so  fortunate  as  to  meet  with  a  young  man  of 
the  name  of  Clarke,  who,  possessed  of  great  gifts,  was  also  possessed  of  un 
common  piety,  and  embraced  with  gladness  an  olfer  of  the  chaplaincy  here,  in 
the  hope  of  an  opportunity. of  doing  good.  lie  has,  since  his  arrival,  formed 
a  church,  as  far  tus  circumstances  admit,  on  the  Presbyterian-plan,  (though  we 
banish  names:  —  here  we  arc  not  Presbyterians,  but  Christians,]  and  there  is 
a  prospect  of  his  doing  much  good.  His  usefulness  has  indeed  been  much 
marred,  by  a  number  of  would-be  preachers,  who  started  up  among  the  people, 
while  they  were  without  any  regular  instructor,  and  who  find  the  continuance 
of  their  influence  so  much  involved  in  Mr.  Clarke's  success,  that  they  u.sc 
every  effort  to  cause  dissensions  and  maintain  a  party  spirit.  We  may  regard 
even  that  unpleasant  circumstance  as,  in  some  measure,  a  token  for  good.  If 
Satan  be  busy,  we  may  judge  he  trembles  for  his  kingdom. 

"  You  have  a  copy,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  of  the  conditions  on  which  I 
agreed  with  MacKen/.ie  to  receive  free  blacks.  Should  the  people  around 
you  be  disposed  to  give  the  requisite  assistance  to  a  few  families  who  might 
wish  to  migrate,  and  whom  you  could  safely  recommend,  they  would  be 
received  on  the  same  terms. 

"  I  have  the  pleasure  of  enclosing  a  printed  report  of  the  progress  of  our 
colony,  till  the  time  of  its  devastation  by  the  French.  Almost  all  the  facts  are 
detailed  from  my  own  actual  observation.  I  understand  from  Captain  Uenson, 
that  a  very  unfavorable  report  respecting  my  conduct  at  that  time  has  reached 
America.  Misrepresentation  is  a  part  of  that  cross  which,  BO  very  peculiarly 
situated  as  I  am,  I  must  be  content  to  bear.  The  report  to  which  I  allude, 
took  its  rise  from  the  ill  will  of  a  shipmaster  bound  hence  to  Jamaica,  whom 
I  had  forced  to  perform  an  net  of  common  Immunity  to  some  seamen  in  dis 
tress,  and  wus  eagerly  retailed  by  the  people  of  Jamaica,  to  whom,  from  a 
residence  of  six  years  in  that  island,  I  am  well  known,  and  who,  regarding 
me,  with  some  justice,  as  an  njx>statc  from  their  party,  gladly  seize  every 
opportunity  of  marking  their  dislike. 

"I  shall  not  fail  to  send  you  the  continuation  of  th?  printed  reports,  as 
they  make  their  appearance.  In  the  mean  time,  you  will  like  to  hear  that  our 
schools  thrive,  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Clarke,  to  a  degree  I  could 
Inrdly  have  expected.  For  particulars  respecting  them  and  many  other 
points,  I  must  refer  you  to  Captain  Uenson,  whose  representations  1  should 
expect  (if  not  from  partiality  a  little  too  highly  colored)  would  bo  very  fair. 

"  You  will  be  sorry  to  learn  that,  during  the  lust  yearj  the  number  of 
American  slave  traders  on  the  coast  has  increased  to  an  unprecedented  de 
gree.  Were  it.  not  for  their  pertinacious  adherence  to  that  abominable  traffic, 
it  would,  in  consequence  of  the  war,  have  been  almost  wholly  abolished  in 
our  neighborhood.  By  letters  from  my  excellent  friends,  Messrs.  Wilberforcc 
and  Thornton,  whose  natm-s  I  dare  say  arc  not  unknown  on  your  side  of  the 
water,  I  find  that,  nothing  daunted  by  their  frequent  defeats,  they  mean  to 
pursue  without  any  relaxation  their  measures  for  a  total  abolition.  The 


MEMOIR.  163 

question  was  lost,  in  March  last,  only  by  a  majority  of  four,  and  that  not  till 
the  last  reading. 

"  The  continuation  of  your  correspondence  will  be  highly  gratifying  to  me, 
and  I  shall  have  pleasure  in  writing  to  you,  from  time  to  time,  on  such  topics 
as  from  this  far  country  will  be  likely  to  interest  you. 

"  Dr.  Hopkins,*  Dr.  Erekine,  and  the  Rev.  John  Newton,  have  severally 
told  me  that,  were  they  young,  they  should  strongly  desire  to  migrate  to 
Sierra  Leone.  Their  actual  presence  is  a  happiness  which  we  dare  not  ex 
pect  ;  but  we  feel  ground  for  indulging  a  hope  that  their  hearts  are  with  us, 
and  that  they  sometimes  breathe  out  a  prayer  in  our  behalf  to  Him  whose 
blessing  can  alone  make  our  work  prosper.  That  he  may  bestow  on  you,  sir, 
the  best  of  blessings,  is  the  warmest  praycrpof  your  faithful  friend  and  obliged 
and  humble  servant,  ZACHARY  MACAULAY. 

UP.  S.  I  send,  herewith,  a  number  of  little  tracts,  which  are  published 
monthly  in  England,  chiefly  by  my  valuable  friend  Mrs.  Hannah  More. 
Their  object  is,  to  supplant  licentious  and  seditious  ballads  and  pamphlets,  by 
n Hording  amusement  .to  the  common  people,  at  an  equally  cheap  rate,  or  at  a 
cheaper  rate  than  those  pernicious  writings  are  sold  at ;  whereby  people  may 
be  surprised,  as  it  were,  into  some  profitable  reading.  The  success  of  the 
tracts  has  been  truly  astonishing.  The  plan  began  only  in  March,  1795,  and 
before  last  March,  two  millions  of  tracts  had  been  sold. 

We  have  already  seen  that  two,  of  the  first  tlireo  candidates  for 
the  African  mission,  died  before  their  education  was  completed.! 
Still,  the  projector  of  that  mission  clung  to  it ;  and  as  late  as 
1791),  when  he  was  about  eighty  years  of  age,  and  bad  been  laboring 
twenty-six  years  in  its  behalf,  be  writes  in  tbo  last  book  which  bo 
ever  published :  $ 

"  It  may  here  bo  added,  that  the  way  to  this  proposed  mission  yet  lies  open  ; 
nml  the  iinport)i  ncc  of  it  and  the  encouragement  to  it  are  as  great  as  ever.  All 
that  is  wanted  is  money,  exertion,  and  missionaries  to  undertake  it.  There 
arc  religious  blacks  to  bo  found,  who  understand  the  language  of  the  nations  in 
those  parts,  who  might  bo  improved,  if  properly  encouraged.  And  if  they 
were  brought  to  embrace  Christianity,  and  to  be  civilized,  it  would  put  a  stop 
to  the  slave  trade,  and  render  them  happy.  And  it  would  open  a  door  for  a 
trade  which  would  be  for  the  temporal  interest  of  both  Americans  and  Afri 
cans.  As  attention  to  sending  the  gospel  to  the  heathen  appears  to  bo  now 
spreading  and  increasing  in  America,  it  is  hoped  that  the  eyes  of  many  will 
bo  opened  to  sen  the  peculiar  obligations  they  are  under  to  attempt  to  send 
the  go.sj>el  to  the  Africans,  whom  we  have  injured  and  abused  so  greatly,  even 
moro  than  any  other  people  under  heaven ;  it  being  the  best  and  the  only 
compensation  we  can  make." 

In  none  of  bis  letters,  even  to  bis  most  confidential  friends,  does 
Hopkins  intimate,  that  bis  original  views  of  an  African  settlement,  or 

*  Was  there  n  Dr.  Hopkins  of  England,  who  hud  noon  Mr.  Maranlay,  nnd  "told'' 
him  what  is  hero  inserted  ?  Or  docs  Mr.  Macaulay  speak  of  Dr.  Hopkins  of  Amcricn,  HI 
Irxvin-f  written  to  him  what  is  hero  slated  7  It  was  common,  especially  in  that  day,  to 
afiudo  in  the  third  person  to  the  individual  addressed  5  but  Mr.  Mnrnulny,  in  the,  pre 
ceding  letier,  does  not  address  the  llliodo  Island  pnstor  as  .Dr.,  hut  ns  "Afr.  Hopkins." 

t  John  Quumino  had  lost  his  life  in  '.ho  revolutionary  war.  Dr.  Pntton  says,  (Kem- 
in'sccnces,  pp.  3(>,  C7,)  that  he  "entered  on  board  a  privateer,  with  the  desire  not  only 
to  support  in  this  way  the  came  of  the  army,  hut  to  obtain  money  to  purchase  the  free 
dom  of  his  wife  ;  but  he  was  slain  in  tho  first  battle." 

}  Memoirs  of  Mrs.  Osborn,  pp.  78,  79. 


154  MEMOIR. 

even  of  an  African  mission,  had  been  modified  by  nny  other  colon! 
/ntion  movement.  Ho  records  no  change  of  plan  between  tho  year 
1773  nnd  the  year  1799.  That  the  lapse  of  time  may  have  matured 
his  scheme,  we  do  not  deny ;  but  we  can  find  no  evidence  of  his 
having  essentially  altered  it.  This  is  certainly  remarkable,  and  is 
one  among  other  proofs,  that  his  sagacious  mind  foresaw,  from  tho 
first,  that  John  Qimmine  nnd  Sulmar  Nubia  were  to  be  trained  as 
pioneers,  not  for  churches  only,  but  for  commercial  cities  and  ex 
tensive  colonies  also.  lie  manifests  no  surprise  at  the  schemes  of 
(irunvillc  Sharp,  but  cordially  unites  in  them,  us  long  familiar  to  his 
mind. 

SHOT.  XXXVII.    NEWPORT  GARDNER. 

Many  results  of  our  philanthropist's  labors  \vcrc  intangible.  Not 
all  of  them,  however.  Salmnr  Nubin  and  Newport  (iardner  were  a 
connecting  link  between  the  missionary  colonization  scheme  of  Dr. 
Hopkins  nnd  the  more  indiscriminate  colonization  scheme  of  the 
present  day,  lloth  of  these  men  were  introduced  to  our  notice  by 
Mr.  Hopkins,  on  p.  1JJO,  above.  One  of  them,  Newport,  was  a  man 
of  mark.  "He  was  brought  to  this  country  as  a  slave,  in  17(>0, 
when  about  fourteen  years  of  ago.  He  early  discovered  to  his  owner 
very  superior  powers  of  mind.  He  taught  hltnsrtf  to  read,  after  re 
ceiving  a  few  lessons  on .  the  elements  of  written  language.  He 
taught  himm-lfio  sing,  after  receiving  a  very  trivial  initiation  into  the 
rudiments  of  music.  He;  became  so  well  acquainted  with  the  science 
and  art  of  music,  that  he  composed  a  large  number  of  tunes,  (some 
of  which  have  been  highly  approved  by  musical  amateurs,)  and  was 
for  a  long  time  the  teacher  of  a  very  numerously  attended  singing 
school  in  Newport.  He  retained  a  knowledge  of  his  mother  tongue, 
so  that  he  could  speak  it  fluently  in  his  eightieth  year."  *  "A  long 
time  after  he  came  to  this  country,  he  distinguished,  among  a  cargo 
of  slaves,  two  individuals,  whom  lie  instantly  addressed  in  their  own 
language,  and  reminded  them  of  his  having  previously  met  them  in 
their  own  land.  In  his  person  he  was  tall,  straight,  nnd  well  formed ; 
in  his  manners,  he  was  dignified  and  unassuming.''!  Mr.  Hopkins 

*  I'erguson's  Memoir  of  Hopkins,  p.  !K).  Dr.  Hitrlicork  wrilcM  :  "Newport  Card- 
nor  used  to  ADV. to  mo,  [lietween  the  years  INK')  nnd  IIJ'JO,]  tli.M  ho  WHS  very  cnreful  to 
cultivate  his  recollection  of  his  African  tongue,  so  tlinl  in  en  so  1'rovidencc  slionltl  open 
a  way,  he  might  return  to  Africa,  nnd  find  a  people  with  whom  he  might  convene  intel- 
ligihly,  tuul  lo  whom  lie  might  communicate  the  great  truths  of  tho  gospel." — MS. 
Letter. 

t  MS.  Letter  of  Mr.  Ferguson.  Dr.  Hitchcock  writes  :  '•  Newport  oflcn  repented 
this  maxim*  '  If  you  wish  to  do  good  to  our  people,  you  musl  keep  us  in  our  place. 
Yoii  nmsl  not  flatter  us.'  I  hnvo  often  he/ml  him  prav.  Ho  never  failed  to  plead  for 
Africa,  confessing  iho  justice  of  God  in  her  miseries,  owing  to  her  sins,  especially  '  in 
worshipping  trees,  and  streams,  nnd  fountains  of  water,  nnd  rtptiles.' " —  MS.  Letter. 
Such  humility  in  a  slave  who  wuj  honored  so  much  us  Newport,  is  a  proof  of  bis  iu- 
pcrior  endowments. 


MEMOIR.  155 

originated  and  encouraged  the  design  of  Newport's  obtaining  his 
freedom,  and  returning  a  missionary  to  his  own  country.  In  a  letter 
to  Dr.  Hart,  apprising  him  of  ••  two  remarkable  events,"  Mr.  Hop 
kins  says :  «•  April  27,  1791.  The  other  event  is,  ten  blncks  in 
this  town  joined  to  purchase  n  ticket  in  the  semi-annual  lottery  in 
Boston,  wliich  has  drawn  a  prize  of  two  thousand  dollars.  One  of 
them  belongs  to  our  church,  and  is  of  a  good  character, — the  best 
that  I  know  nmong  the  blacks,  except  Bristol  Yamma.  He  is  a 
slave.  —  It  is  hoped  that  by  this  event  he  will  obtain  his  freedom." 
That  slave  was  Newport,  and  ho  at  once  renewed  his  old  applica 
tion  for  the  purchase  of  his  liberty.  But  he  had  not  money  enough 
to  buy  his  own  freedom  and  also  that  of  his  wife  and  children.  He 
therefore  "  was  allowed  to  labor  for  his  own  profit,  during  whatever 
time  ho  might  gain  by  extra  diligence.  The  slave  devoted  all  this 
gained  time  to  procuring  the  means  of  liberating  himself  and  family. 
He  was  finally  advised,  by  a  deacon  of  Mr.  Hopkins'a  church,  to 
spend  this  time  in  fasting  and  prayer  for  his  liberation,  and  ho  was 
assured  of  more  rapid  success  in  tliis  course  than  in  that  of  manual 
labor.  Accordingly,  having  gained  a  day,  this  pious  negro,  without 
communicating  his  plan  to  any  but  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  two  or  three 
Christian  friends,  spent  that  day  in  secret  fasting  and  prayer  that  ho 
might  obtain  his  freedom.  His  master,  totally  ignorant  of  his  slave's 
occupation,  sent  for  him  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon ;  but 
was  told  that  » Newport  was  engaged  for  himself,  this  being  his 
gained  day.'  «  No  matter  —  call  him,'  pays  Captain  (Jardner.  After 
Home  hesitation,  the  slave  was  called,  and  the  owner  gave  him  a  paper, 
on  which  was  written, —  'I,  Caleb  (iardner,  of  Newport,  Rhode 
Island,  do  this  day  manumit  and  release  forever  Newport  Gardner, 
his  wife,  and  children,"  &e.,  &c. ;  adding  some  conditions  which 
could  be  easily  complied  with.  The  slave  received  his  manumis 
sion  with  gratitude  to  his  owner,  but  with  still  deeper  gratitude  to 
his  all-wise  Disposer  above,  who  had  signally  answered  his  request 
for  freedom,  wen  before  he  luul  finished  hi*  supplication"  * 

The  desire  which  his  pastor  had  enkindled  in  his  bosom  to  re 
visit  his  native  land,  for  the  sake  of  carrying  thither  the  institutions 
of  the  gospel,  never  died  away.  Both  he  and  Salmar  Nubia  t 
"continued,  through  .life,  with  their  faces  turned  toward  their  home, 

*  Slightly  nlterc<l  from  Ferguson's  Memoir,  pp.  IfH,  lN,r>.  Dr.  Alexander,  describ 
ing  this  mode  of  Newport's  liberation,  says :  "  If  it  wore  not  so  well  nutlientirnlcd,  wo 
should  hositnto  to  mention  it ;  ns,  to  some  of  our  reader*,  it  may  prohnMy  savor  too 
much  of  enthusiasm.  Hut  in  fuct,  it  is  nothing  else  than  tin  evident,  nnd  somewhat  ex- 
truordinnrv  answer  to  prnyer."  History  of  African  Colonization,  p.  «r)7.  The  account 
rests  on  the  authority  of  Colour!  Vinson,  Dr.  Tenney,  Mr.  Ferguson,  nnd  others. 

f  This  mun,  a  member  of  Dr.  Sliles'n  church  in  Newport,  was  n  subscriber  for  In* 
first  edition  of  Hopkins'*  System  of  Divinity;  nnd  his  unnio  is  spelled  Solmar  Nubia 
in  the  published  list  of  the  original  subscribers'  names.  It  is  spelled,  in  some  of  Hop 
kins'*  letters,  Solmar  Numa;  and  in  tho  census  of  Liberia  for  1811).  it  is  spelled  John 
Nubia. 


156  MEMOIR. 

and  when  the  favorable  moment  cnmo,  they  joyfully  embarked  for 
Africa.  On  the  evening  of  the  twenty-eighth  of  December,  1S25,  they 
and  sixteen  others  wero  constituted  a  church  in  the  city  of  Boston. 
Drs.  Jenks,  S.  E.  Dwight,  Winner,  Justin*  Edwards,  and  Rev.  Samuel 
Green,  conducted  the  exercises  of  the  evening.  The  church  mode  a 
unanimous  choice  of  Newport  Gardner  u  id  John  Salmar  Nubia  for 
deacons;"  lie v.  Samuel  Green  oflercd  the  consecrating  prayer  for 
the  two  newly-elected  officers,  and  at  the  conclusion  of  the  service 
nri  anthem  was  sung,  which  was  "  composed  by  Deacon  Gardner, 
and  by  him  set  to  the  following  words  of  hie  own  selection  and 
adaptation :  " 

"The  word  that  came  to  Jeremiah  from  tho  Lord,  saying:  Write  tiiou  all 
thn  words  wfflni  I  Imvo  spoken  unto  thoe  in  a  book.  For  lo !  the  days  come, 
saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  bring  again  tho  captivity  of  Iny  people  Israel  and 
Judali,  saith  the  Lord ;  and  I  will  cause  them  to  return  to  the  land  that  I  gave 
to  their  fathers,  and  they  shall  possess  it.  Therefore,  fear  thou  not,  ()  my 
servant  Jacob,  saith  the  Lord;  neither  be  dismayed,  O  Israel ;  for  lo!  I  will 
save  the<;  from  afar,  and  thy  need  from  their  captivity,  flml  Jacob  shall  return 
and  be  in  rest  and  quiet,  and  none  shall  make  him  afraid.  Amen.  Hear  the 
words  of  the  Lord,  O  ye  African  race,  hear  the  words  of  promise.  But  it  is 
not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread  and  cast  it  to  dogs.  Truth,  Lord,  yet 
tho  dogs  eat  of  the  crumbs  that  fall  from  their  master's  table.  O  African, 
trust  in  the  Lord.  Amen.  Hallelujah.  Praise  the  Lord.  Praise  yc  tho 
Lord.  Hallelujah.  Amen." 

On  the  '1th  of  January,  1KJO,  the  church  sailed  for  Liberia,  in  the 
brig  Vine,  from  Boston.  There  were  thirty-two  colored  emigrants 
on  board,  all  of  them  from  Rhode  Island.  To  the  spectators  of  the 
embarkation  it  appeared  singular,  that  two  men  so  old  as  these  two 
deacons,  should  venture  to  become  pioneers  of  rtn  infant  colony,  on 
a  sickly  coast.  But  this  had  been  their  ruling  passion.  There  had 
been  an  influence  upon  them  which  the  world  knew  not.  They  had 
sat  by  the  fireside  of  Hopkins'*  narrow  study,  rtnd  had  there  nour 
ished  their  missionary  spirit,  a  half  century  before  it  was  developed 
in  their  missionary  life.*  So  permanent  is  human  influence.  The 
two  deacons  arrived  at  Monrovia,  February  (>*  18^(1,  and  after  a 
rapid  decline,  died,  about  six  months  after  their  arrival.  Newport 
Gardner  was  about  eighty,  and  Salnmr  Nubia  about  seventy  years 
of  age,  at  the  time  of  their  decease. 


*  Somewhat  altered  from  Ferguson's  Memoir,  pp.  90,  91,  1R5,  18G.  The  author  of 
the  "  iN'ew  Republic,"  speaking  of  the  emigrants  in  tho  Vine,  navs,  p.  101  :  "'One  aged 
black  was  among  the  .number,  who  seemed  to  l>c  filled  with  almost  youthful  enthusiasm 
for  the  cause.  '  I  go/  he  exclaimed,  '  lo  set  an  example  to  the  youth  of  my  race.  1 
go  to  encourage  the  young.  They  cnn  never  be  elevated  here.  I  have  tried  it  sixty 
years  —  it  is  in  vain.  Could  I  by  my  example  lead  them  to  set  sail,  ami  I  die  tho  next 
4ay,  I  should  bo  satisfied.'  " 


MEMOIR.  157 


SBCT.  XXXVIII.    CHURCH  ACTION  IN  REGARD  TO  SLAVERY. 

It  1ms  been  said  that  the  church  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  at  Newport, 
was  the  first  in  the  world  which  prohibited  its  members  from 
purchasing  or  owning  alnVe?.  It  must  be  remembered,  however, 
that  tho  Quakers  of  England,  ns  early  as  17G1,  voted  to  exclude 
from  their  communion  all  who  should  engage  in  the  slave  traffic;* 
and  in  177(>,  the  Quakers  of  Pennsylvania  voted  to  exclude  nil 
owners  of  slaves  who  "  refused  to  execute  the  proper  instruments 
for  giving  them  their  freedom."  t  When  it  is  said,  then,  that  Mr. 
Hopkins's  church  preceded  all  others  in  expressing  its  intolerance  of 
slavery,  we  must  not  include  the  Friends.  It  is  remarkable  that  ns 
early  r.s  1781,  while  yet  in  the  midst  of  the  revolutionary  struggle, 
our  reformer  proposed  some  ecclesiastical  action  on  the  subject,  and 
induced  one  of  his  most  estimable  and  prominent  church-members 
to  pledge  himself,  that,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  he  would  manumit 
liis  only  remaining  slave.  In  Hopkins's  firm  chirography,  the  fol 
lowing  votes  now  stand  on  the  Church  Records. 

"At   a  meeting  of  the  church,  January  30,  1784,  it  was,  Voted  : 

"  1.  That  whereas  Deacon  Coggcslmll  did,  more  than  two  years 
n<ro,  promise  before  the  church  that  lie  would  secure  the  freedom  of 
his  black  girl,  Sarah,  that  she  should  be  free  upon  his  decease,  it  is 
the  opinion  of  this  church  that  he  nu*rht,  without  delay,  to  deliver  to 
us  a  paper,  properly  authenticated,  securing  to  said  girl  her  freedom, 
as  above  said. 

"2.  That  Captain  Hammond  and  Mr.  Nichols  be  desired  to  let 
Deacon  Coggesnall  Know  of  the  above  vote,  and  desire  him  to  com 
ply  with  it,  without  delay." 

"At  a  meeting  of  the  church,  March  5,  1784,  Voted:  That  ns 
Deacon  Coggeshnll  has  delivered  to  Mr.  Samuel  Vinson  a  paper,  in 
which  he-  has  secured  the  freedom  of  the  above-said  Sarah,  and  it 
has  been  read  before  the  church,  they  are  satisfied  with  respect  to 
that  matter,  and  that  Mr.  Vinson  be  desired  to  keep  said  paper,. until 
he  shall  receive  further  direction  from  the  church  respecting  it." 

"  At  the  same  meeting,  Voted :  That  the  slave  trade  and  the 
(  slavery  of  the  Africans,  an  it  has  taken  place  among  us,.is  a  gross 
violation  of  the  righteousness  and  benevolence  which  arc  so  much  in 
culcated  in  the  gospel ;  and  therefore  we  will  not  tolerate  it  in  this 
church." 

From  these  votes,  it  may  be,  us  it  has  been  inferred,  that  if  a 
member  of  the  church,  already  owning  slaves,  would  give  a  written 

*  Iu  1727,  Ihis  estimable  body  first  warned  iu  members  against  being  concerned  In 
the  trade. 

f  Clurkson's  Hiatory  of  Ihe  Abolition  of  the  Slave  Trade,  p.  106.  From  this  work, 
ond  from  Copley's  History  of  Sluvcry,  have  been  gleaned  many  of  the  fact*  commit- 
uicated  iu  these  section*. 


153  MEMOIR. 

pledge  to  liberate  them  at  a  future  time,  that  member  need  not  be 
disciplined  for  retaining  his  slaves  in  bondage  until  that  time ;  but 
he  would  be  disciplined  if  he  should  purchase  a  new  slave ;  and  no 
man  would  be  allowed  to  enter  the  church,  either  from  the  world 
or  from  other  churches,  unless  he  first  emancipated  his  bondmen. 
These  votes  indicate  the  determined  spirit  of  Mr.  Hopkins,  and  at 
the  same  time  his  kindly,  considerate  temper.  He  was  as  far  from 
fanaticism,  as  from  attachment  to  old  abuses. 


SECT.  XXXIX.    THE  UNITED  STATES  CONSTITUTION  AND   THE 
SLAVE  INTEREST. 

What  were  the  views  of  an  abolitionist  like  Hopkins,  in  regnrd  to 
the  proceedings  of  the  Convention  which  framed  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  1  In  a  letter  to  Moses  Brown,  dated  October  22, 
1787,  about  one  month  after  the  delegates  had  agreed  on  the  Fed 
eral  Constitution,  Mr.  Hopkins  says  :  i 

"  My  Kind  Friend : I  am  hurt  by  the  doings  of  the  Convention 

respecting  the  slave  trade.  It  is  as  you  suppose.  They  have  carefully 
secured  the  practice  of  it  in  those  States  for  twenty  years,  and  prevented  nny 
asylum  for  slaves  during  that  term,  unless  every  individual  State  should  sup 
press  the  trade.  They  have  taken  it  out  of  the  hands  of  Congress.  We 
cannot  determine,  that  the  major  part  of  the  delegates  were  pleased  with  this. 
Some  of  the  southern  delegates,  no  doubt,  insisted  upon  it,  that  the  introduc 
tion  of  slaves  should  be  secured,  and  obstinately  refused  to  conform  to  any 
constitution  which  did  not  secure  it.  The  others,  therefore,  consented,  rather 
than  have  no  constitution,  or  one  in  which  the  delegates  should  not  bo  unani 
mous.  I  fear  this  is  an  •Ichan,  which  will  bring  a  curse,  so  that  we  cannot 
prosper.  At  the  same  time,  it  appears  to  mo  that  if  tins  Constitution  bo  not 
adopted  by  the  States,  as  it  now  stand*,  we  shall  have  none,  and  nothing  but 
anarchy  and  confusion  may  be  expected.  I  must  leave  it  with  the  Supremo 
Ruler  of  the  universe,  who  will  do  right,  and  knows  what  to  do  with  these 
States,  to  answer  his  own  infinitely  wise  purposes;  rtnd  will  vindicate  tho 
oppressed,  and  break  tho  arm  of  the  oppressor,  in  his  own  way  and  time,  and 
cause  tho  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him. 

To  Dr.  7/arf,  of  Prrston.  —  "  January  20,  1788.  Dear  Sir:  I  thank  you 
for  your  exertions  with  regard  to  the  slave  trade.  I  should  have  been  glad  to 
be  informed  whether  what  was  reported  to  Mr.  Brown  be  true ;  viz.,  that  they 
arc  going  into  tins  trade  at  Middlctown  and  Norwich.  I  hear  they  threaten 
to  carry  it  on  here  and  at  Providence  yet,  but  question  whether  they  will  do 
it,  as  they  will  expose  themselves  so  much  by  it.  The  new  Constitution,  you 
observe,  guarantees  thid  trade  for  twenty  years.  I  fear,  if  it  be  adopted,  this 
will  prove  an  Achan  in  our  camp.  I  low  docs  it  appear  in  the  sight  of 
Heaven,  and  of  all -good  men,  well  informed,  that  thate  States,  who  have  been 
fighting  for  liberty,  and  consider  themselves  as  the  highest  and  most  noble 
example  of  zeal  for  it,  cannot  agree  in  any  political  constitution,  unless  it  in 
dulge  and  authorize  them  to  enslave  their  fellow-men  !  I  tlunk  if  this  Con 
stitution  be  not  adopted  as  it  is,  without  any  alteration,  we  shall  have  none,  and 
shall  be  in  a  state  of  anarchy,  and  probably  of  civil  war.  Therefore  I  wish 
to  have  it  adopted;  but  still,  aa  I  said,  I  fear.  And  perhaps  civil  war  will 
not  bo  avoided,  if  it  bo  adopted.  Ah !  these  unclean  spirits,  like  frogs. 
They,  like  tho  Furies  of  tho  poets,  arc  spreading  discord  and  exciting  men  to 
contcntioa  and  war,  wherever  they  go ;  and  they  can  spoil  the  best  constitu- 


MEMOIR.  159 

Uon  that  can  bo  formed.  When  Congress  shall  be  formed  on  the  new  plan, 
these  frogs  will  be  there ;  for  they  go  forth  to  the  kings  of  the  earth,  in  the 
first  place.  They  will  turn  the  members  of  that  august  body  into  devils,  so 
far  as  they  are  permitted  to  influence  them.  Have  they  not  already  got  pos 
session  of  most  of  the  men,  who  will  or  can  be  chosen  and  appointed  to  a 
place  in  that  assembly  ?  I  suppose  that  even  good  Christians  are  not  out  of 
the  reach  of  influence  from  these  frogs.  «  Blessed  is  ho  that  watchcth  and 
kcopeth  his  garments.' "  * 

Decidedly  as  Hopkins  opposed  some  parts  of  the  Constitution,  ho 
was  yet1  earnestly  in  flivor  of  adopting  it,  and  ho  evidently  thought 
that,  after  its  adoption,  it  should  bo  obeyed,  actively  or  passively,  in 
nil  its  requirements.  He  would  shut  the  door,  not  against  amend 
ment,  but  against  forcible  resistance.  He  deemed  the  loss  of  the 
Constitution,  as  a  whole,  to  bo  a  greater  evil,  than  tho  retention  of 
those  articles  which  he  so  much  disapproved.  He  believed  that  when 
the  advocates  of  freedom  could  not  do  as  well  as  they  would,  they 
should  do  as  well  as  ihey  could.  He  therefore  urged  the  reluctant 
Rhode  Islanders  to  come  into  the  Federal  Compact.  In  a  letter 
dated  July  20,  1788,  he  writes : 

"Some  of  our  politicians,  who  aro  Federal,  choose  that  the  new  Constitu 
tion  should  not  be  adopted  by  this  State ;  rjs  they  wish  for  the  supposed  con 
sequence  of  not  doing  it,  viz.,  that  tho  State  will  be  divided,  and  part  annexed 
to  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  other  part  to  Connecticut 
Rhode  Island  is  to  join  the  former,  and  Connecticut  is  to  havo  NARRA- 
OANSET!" 

'Often,  throughout  his  correspondence,  he  expresses  his  attachment 
to  our  Constitution,  and  alludes  in  reverential  terms  to  those  who 
first  administered  it.  He  was  a  great  admirer  of  Washington,  and 
trained  his  family  to  support  the  Washingtonian  principles  of  gov 
ernment 


SECT.   XL.    RELATIVE  POSITION  OF  HOPKINS  AMONG  THE  FRIENDS 
OF  THE  SLAVE. 

No  great  change  of  public  morals  is  effected  by  a  single  indi 
vidual.  There  are  always  "  reformers  before  the  reformation."  It 
is  useful  to  learn  the  exact  relation  of  Hopkins  to  other  friends  of 
the  slave,  and  the^  degree  in  which  ho  was  distinguished  above  them, 

*  This  is  indeed  strong  language ;  not  no  strong,  however,  n.i  that  used  by  many 
rompnnions  of  Hopkins  in  the  movement  against  slavery;  not  by  any  mentis  so  strong 
as  thnt  used  nineteen  days  before,  by  Grnnvillo  Sharp,  in  a  letter  to  Benjamin  Franklin  : 
"  Having  been  always  zealous,"  writes  Mr.  Sharp,  (Memoir,  p.  253,)  "  for  the  honor  of 
free  governments,  I  am  the  more  sincerely  grieved  to  sec  tho  new  Federal  Constitution 
stained  by  the  insertion  of  two  most  exceptionable  clauses  of  tho  kind  above  men 
tioned  ;  the  one  in  direct  opposition  to  a  most  humane  article,  ordained  by  the  first 
American  Congress  to  bo  perpetually  observed  ;  and  the  other  in  equal  opposition  to 
an  express  command  of  the  Almighty,  <  not  to  deliver  up  tho  servant  that  has  escaped 
from  his  master,'  Ace.  Ik>th  clauses,  however,  (the  ninth  section  of  the  first  article,  and 
the  latter  part  of  tho  second  section  of  tho  third  article,)  are  so  clearly  null  and  void  by 
their  iniquity,  that  it  would  be  even  a  crimt  to  regard  them  at  law." 


160  MEMOIR. 

or  in  which  they  surpassed  him.  By  no  means  was  he  the  first 
who  opposed  the  system  of  African  slavery.  As  Curly  as  1C40,  that 
system  had  been  condemned  by  Cardinal  Ximenes,  Charles  V.,  Leo 
X.,  Queen  Eli/abeth,  and  Louis  XIII.;  and  before  the  year  1770,  it 
had  been  written  against  in  Europe,  by  Rev.  Morgan  God\vyn, 
Richard  Baxter,  Thomas  Tryon,  George  Fox,  Thomas  Southern, 
Primatt,  Montesquieu,  Hutchcson,  James  Foster,  Sir  Richard  Stcclc, 
Atkins,  Wnllis,  Rev.  Griffith  Hughes,  Hayter,  Postlcthwaite,  Jcfiery, 
Sterne,  Rousseau,  Bishop  Warburton,  Gran'ville  Shar}) ;  and  in 
America,  by  Whitcfield,  Judge  Sewall,  William  Burling,  Ralph 
Sandiford,  Benjamin  Lay,  John  Woolman,  Anthony  Denczct.* 
The  English  poets,  also,  such  as  Milton,  Pope,  Thomson,  Savage, 
Shcnstnnc,  Dyer,  wrote  in  harmony  with  the  free  genius  of  song, 
and  excited  a  detestation  of  the  African  bondage.  The  English 
Quakers,  as  a  body,  condemned  the  slave  trade  in  public  resolutions, 
passed  in  1727*  17.VS,  1701,  and  17(>J.  The  Quakers  of  Pennsyl 
vania  condemned  it  in  their  meetings  of  l(i(.M>,  171 1,  and .  1754.  The 
greater  part  of  all  wliich  had  been  published  as  early  as  1770,  was 
against  the  traflic  in  slaves  ;  but  we  have  seen  that  Hopkins,  about 
the  year  1770,  preached  not  against  the  traflic  only,  but  also  against 
all  property  in  slaves ;  t  and  as  early,  at  least,  as  177tt,  he  projected 
his  African  mission,  with  the  design  of  preventing  the  sla-fc  trade  ; 

*  This  beneficent  man, -whom  Granvillc  Sharp  declared  lo  ho  "  unhnppfly  involved 
in  the  errors  of  Quakerism,"  wrote  on  anti-slavery  loiter  to  Mr.  Sharp,  wliich  was 
received  June  '2{2,  1112,  the  very  day  of  Sharp's  triumph  in  the  noted  Somerset  cn«c. 
In  17(!7,  one  of  Ueiic/.et's  works  on  slavery  was  republished  in  Kngland  by  Mr.  Sharp  j 
juid  in  17(i'.>,  one  of  Slurp's  works  on  slavery  was  rrpuMishecl  (in  on  abridged  form) 
in  America,  by  Mr.  llenr/.ct.  It  was  this  same  Anthony  Henc/ct,  whose  "  Historical 
Account  of  (iiiinea  "  gave  such  timely  aid  to  Clarksoii,  in  J7K'>.  IJenezct  published 
his  first  largo  work  on  slavery,  in  17<>-,  but  lia«l  previously  written  (mailer  works  fur 
the  press  on  tho  same  theme.  He  thus  made,  a  public  avownl  of  his  opinions  previously 
to  tho  time,  of  llopkins's  Circular  and  Dialogue.  lie  was  moro  active  in  political 
circles  thnn  Hopkins.  Hut  he  was  leu  profound  in  his  discus-Jons,  und  had  less  influ 
ence  over  the  clergy. 

t  That  Hopkins  preached  against  slavery  about  the  year  1770,  is  evident  from  the 
following  fact*.  Many  of  his  old  parMiioners  have  said,  that  he  thus  preached  soon  after 
ho  went  to  Newport,  July  '2\,  17ft',  and  before  ho  started  his  plan  lor  nn  African  mis 
sion  5  certainly,  then,  before  April,  1773.  He  himself  informed  (.Jranvillc  Sharp,  that 
he  preached  against  the  trail?  HOOP,  after  his  removal  to  Newport j  and  against  slavery 
itself,  soon  after  he  had  opposed  the  trade  ;  and  that  when  he  th«s  preached,  he  "  was, 
RO  far  as  [he]  then  knew,  almost  alone  in  [his]  opposition  to  this  trade  and  to  the 
slavery  of  the  Africans  :  "  sec  p.  1-M),  above.  It  should  seem,  then,  that  he  must  have 
delivered  these  sermons  before  the  year  177-  ;  for  on  the  first  of  April,  in  that  year,  the 
Virginia  House  of  Hurgessos  petitioned  the  kintf  against  the  importation  of  .slaves  into 
their  colony;  and  on  the  fourteenth  of  May,  Anthony  lienc/et  wrote,  that  in  Pennsyl 
vania,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  New  England,  there  was  n  (strong  public  sentiment 
against  tho  slave  system;  (sec  Hoare's  Memoir  of  (iranvillc  Sharp,  Ksq.)  Now,  can 
it  be,  that  a  man  so  proverbially  inquisitive  as  Hopkins,  did  not  know  of  these  political 
movements,  when  they  were  made  T  And  if  he  did  know  of  them,  ho  must  have  stood 
up  almost  alono  against  slavery  bffort  their  occur -ence,  i.  t..  before  the  spring  of  1772. 
He  had  probably  heard  of  the  aali-slavery  discussions  which  commenced  at  Boston  iu 
176G,  and  continued  intermittently  until  tho  revolution  ;  but  which  serin  to  have  boon 
confined  to  political  circles,  and  to  have  promised  no  immediate  results  of  great  moment. 


MBMOIR.  161 

and  he  published  a  forcible  argument  against  the  whole  slave  system, 
in  1776.  He  openly  denounced  the  entire  scheme,  then,  before  Ben 
jamin  Rush  printed  his  first  pamphlet  against  it,  in  1773 ;  and  before  • 
Dr.  Bcattie  and  John  Wesley  made  their  open  opposition  to  it.  He 
even  printed  his  Dialogue  as  early  as  Adam  Smith  and  Professor 
Millar  printed  their  works  in  which  slavery  was  condemned,  and  be 
fore  a  single  page  had  been  written  on  the  subject  by  Dr.  Robert 
son,  Abbe  Raynal,  Dr.  Puley,  Bishop  Porteus,  James  Ramsay,  who 
first  appeared  as  an  anti-slavery  author,  in  1785,  and  Thomas  Clark- 
son,  who  wrote  his  first  Essay  on  the  theme  in  Latin,  in  1785,  and 
published  it  in  English,  in  178G,  Granvillo  Sharp  became  interested 
in  the  subject  by  an  accident,  in  17G5,  and  he  published  his  first 
work  against  the  evil,  in  1769,  and  triumphed  in  the  Somerset  case, 
in  1772.  He  thus  preceded  Hopkins  as  a  conspicuous  friend  of  the 
slave.  But  neither  he  nor  any  other  man  had,  in  177C,  written  on 
the  theme  so  forcibly  and  fundamentally,  and  at  the  same  time  so 
religiously,  as  this  Rhode  Island  pastor.  Unless  we  include,  then,  a 
a  few  estimable  preachers  among  the  Society  of  Friends,  Hopkins 
was  the  first  of  the  American  divines,  who  published  an  effective  re 
monstrance  against  the  claiming  of  property  in  slaves.  He  was  the 
ablest  of  all  writers,  English  or  American,  who  opposed  the  slave 
system  on  strictly  religious  grounds,  as  early  as  1776.  He  also  sub 
jected  himself  to  more  of  personal  suffering,  than  did  the  great 
majority  of  those  who  assailed  the  slave  system.  Ho  set  himself 
against  the  habits  and  pecuniary  income,  of  the  men  on  whom  he 
relied  for  his  daily  bread.  He  sacrificed  property  and  immediate 
reputation.*  He  was  ridiculed  and  hated  by  many  of  his  townsmen. 
But  he  threw  over  himself,  and  over  his  cause,  the  mantle  of  religion. 
He  allied  himself  with  Jehovah.  In  reply  to  the  taunts  of  his  fellow- 
citizens,  he  often  predicted,  that  "  God  would  frown  upon  New 
port  ; "  that  "  the  judgments  of  Heaven  would  hang  over  its  dwell 
ings  ;  "  and  a  large  number  of  his  friends,  who  saw  the  grass  growing 
in  the  streets  of  that  beautiful  town,  for  many  years  after  these  pre 
dictions,  associated  the  desolate  appearance  of  the  place  with  the 
vaticinations  of  that  troubled  old  pastor.  His  earnest  words  exerted 
a  prolonged  influence  on  the  mind  of  the  youthful  Chonning;  and 
this  influence  was  developed  fifty  years  after  it  was  first  exerted. 
That  sedate  youth  often  met  at  his  father's  table  the  old  apostle  of 
freedom  ;  and  "  it  was  from  him  that  [Charming]  first  gained  hbi 
convictions  of  the  iniquity  of  slavery."  t 

How  far  Hopkins  preceded  other  men,  and  how  far  they  pre 
ceded  him,  in  forming  societies  for  the  abolition  of  slavery,  and  in 

•  Seo  pp.  94, 110, 116,  119-126,  etc.,  of  (be  prct«t  Memoir, 
t  Channing^f  Memoiri,  vol.  i.  p.  32, 

n* 


162  MEMOIR* 


f: 


ecclesiastical  action  with  regard  to  it,  has  boon  detailed  on  pages  125, 
120,  nnd  157  of  this  Memoir.  His  preeminence  ovor  his  brethren  is 
more  conspicuous  in  his  scheme  for  evangelizing  Africa. 

On  the  19th  of  January,  1481,  the  Portuguese  missionaries  cele 
brated  their  first  mass  in  Guinea.  As  far  as  can  bo  ascertained,  the 
French  commenced  an  African  mission,  in  !(&>;  tho  Spanish,  in 
1(152;  tho  Moravians,  in  175M>;  and  the  Uritish,  in  1751.  «•  Tho  first 
American  who  is  known  to  have  attempted  any  thing  for  the  conver 
sion  of  Africa,  was"  Dr.  Hopkins.*  Ho  may  have  heard,  for  ho 
was  inquisitive  on  missionary  themes,  of  Rev.  Thomas  Thompson, 
who  was  the  first,  hut  not  very  consistent  English  missionary  in 
Africa,t  and  who  had  previously  labored  five  years  in  New  Jersey. 
Bo  that  as  it  may,  for  about  thirty  years,  Hopkins  was  strenuous  in 
his  exertions  to  wake  up  the  missionary  spirit  in  hctmlf  of  tho  negro 
race.  In  about  twelve  yenrs  from  tho  date  of  his  lust  communica 
tion  on  the  theme,  a- spirit  of  missions  was  extensively  developed  in 
behalf  of  all  the  heathen  races,  and  the  sons  of  two  of  his  disciples 
had  consecrated  themselves  to  the  foreign  enterprise*  Is  it  at  all  im 
probable,  that  his  extensive  correspondence  on  the  African  mission, 
had  predisposed  tho  hearts  of  many  in  favor  of  the  American  Hoard? 
And  would  it  he  singular  if  hi*  letters  to  Great  liritirin,  on  the  same 
subject,  had  exerted  somo  influence  on  Carey,  Fuller,  Pcarce,  and 
Ryland,  (two  of  whom  were  his  correspondents,  and  till  of  whom 
were  his  friends,)  who  formed  tho  first  Missionary  Society  of  Eng 
land,  in  171)2,  nearly  twenty  years  after  Hopkins  hud  written  in 
favor  of  evangelizing  Africa? 

Tho  scheme  of  colonizing  Africa  on  religious  principles  is  yet  x 
more  evidently  Hopkinsiun.  Dr.  Alexander,  of  Princeton,  says ;  J 
««  As  well  as  can  be  ascertained  by  u  diligent  research,  the  first  man 
who  ever  seriously  contemplated  sending  a  colony  to  Africa,  was 
Dr.  Thornton,  a  native  of  Virginia;  but  at  the  time  when  he  • 
conceived  this  plan,  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Washington,  where  be 
is  still  remembered,  as  at  the  same  time  n  man  of  many  eccentrici 
ties,  arising  from  a  vivid  genius,  and  ti  real  philanthropist.  Dr. 
Thornton  not  only  formed  a  plan  of  African  colonization,  hut  ac 
tually  attempted  its  execution,  intending  to  become  himself  the  leader 
of  tho  colony.  Therefore,  in  tho  year  17H7,  ho  published  an  'Ad 
dress'  to  tho  freo  people  of  color  in  Hhode  Island  and  Massachusetts, 

*  Ilcv.  Joseph  Tracy's  Historical  Examination  of  tho  Stale  of  Society  in  Western 
Africa,  (p.  IH,)  —  a  pamphlet  from  which  several  of  tho  fuels  hero  stated  nro  derived. 

f  We  uro  sorry  to  read  tho  following  sentence  in  n  letter  of  (Jranvillc  Sharp  to  tho 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  dated  August  1,  1706  : — "  I  fully  answered  their  wii.ittonery, 
the  Rev.  Thomas  Th — ps — n,  who  had  attempted  publicly  to  vindicate  the  African 
slave  trade,  nnd  [I]  sent  my  answer  to  Mr.  Renczcl  in  MS.,  which  was  printed  in 
America  by  tho  Qnnkors."  —  Hoarn's  Life  of  Sharp,  p.  2G2. 

|  History  of  African  Colonization,  p.  GJ, 


MEMOIR.  163 

inviting  them  to  nccompany  him  to  tho  western  coast  of  Africa,  with 
tho  view  of  planting  a  colony   in  the   land  of  their  forefathers. 
Although  Dr.  Hopkins's  plan  preceded  this  many 'years,  yet  his  was 
rather  u  missionary  than  a  colonization  scheme ;  although,   as  we       s 
have  seen,  it  prohably  suggested  the  first  idea  of  tho  colony  at  Sierra  i 
Leone.'   But  Dr.  Thornton  was  undoubtedly  the  first  who  conceived, 
and  attempted  to  carry  into  effect,  a  plan  for  a  colony  of  free  colored 
people  on  tho  western  coast  of  Africa." 

With  regard  to  this  statement,  we  need  only  say,  that  Granvillo 
Sharp  wrote  a  private  memorandum  with  regard  to  such  a  colony  in 
11S:J,  tmd  proposed  his  scheme  to  others,  in  1780;*  and  therefore 
seems  to  have  preceded  Dr.  Thornton,  whose  first  public  movement 
is  mentioned  by  Dr.  Alexander  us  being  made  in  1787.  It  is  highly 
probable,  that  Mr.  Hopkins  first  conceived  his  plan  of  African  coloni- 
y.atiou,  as  early  ns  1773;  and  it  can  be  proved,  that  he  wrote  upon  it 
to  a  friend,  ns  early  us  April,  1784,  and  then  mentioned  it,  as  a  pro 
posal  which  had  been  « on  foot  for  some  time.'  Ho  could  not  have 
been  indebted  to  Granville  Sharp  for  this  plan.  Sharp's  mention  of 
it  in  1783  was  private,, and  his  mention  of  it  in  1780  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  known  by  Hopkins,  or  any  American,  for  some  time 
afterward.  Neither  could  Hopkins  have  received  his  idea  from  Dr. 
Thornton ;  for  in  1787,  when  Dr.  Thornton  made  his  first  appeal  to 
the  community,  Hopkins  says  of  it,  "  1  have,  as  you  know,  sir, 
been  for  years  desirous  of  an  attempt  to  muke  mrh  a  settlement."  t 

Dr.  Alexander  says,  that  Hopkins's  was  "  rather  a  missionary  than 
a  coloni/.ation  scheme."  It  would  have  been  more  accurate  to  say, 
that  the  scheme  was  both  n  missionary  and  a  colonization  scheme. 
It  was  a  plan  not  at  first  for  promiscuous,  but  for  carefully  regulated 
coloni/.ation.  It  made  Christianity  prominent.  It  proposed  the 
religious  improvement  of  the  slaves,  n.s  the  .chief  reason  for  their 
emigration.  Hut  the  prominence  of  religion  aided,  rather  than 
depressed,  the  colonizing  enterprise.  Whatever  Hopkins  undertook 
was  blended  with  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  yet,  as  evangelical  instruc 
tion  was  to  bo  given  both  in  Grnnville  Sharp's  and  in  Dr.  Thornton's 
colony,  Hopkins  regarded  both  as  capable  of  being  united  with  that 
which  he  had  antecedently  proposed. 

Hut  although  Dr.  Alexander  regards  the  colonization  movement  us 
having  been  prompted  by  tho  Virginian  instead  of  the  New  Eng- 
lander,  ho  yet  supposes  that  Hopkins1!)  •«  extraordinary  enterprise  " 
•*  had  a  real  connection  with  tho  scheme  of  African  colonization," 
which  is  now  in  progress,  and  which  in  some  particulars  is  unlike 
that  of  the  Newport  divine.  Dr.  Alexander  conjectures,  that  Hop 
kins's  scheme  may  have  suggested  to  Granville  Sharp  the  plan  of 

•  Prince  Hoaro'i  Memoir*  of  Grwivillo  Sharp,  Eiq.,  pp.  259,  2CO,  266. 
f  Letter  to  Moses  Brown.     Sec  p.  13'J,  above. 


164  MEMOIR. 

colonizing  Sierra  Lcono ;  and  says  that  "  the  recollection  of  this 
scheme  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  to  send  hack  to  Africa  some  of  her  sons  as 
missionaries,  in  nil 'probability  suggested  the  idea  of  African  coloniza 
tion."*  The  Society  in  Scotland  for  Propagating  the  Gospel,  made 
this  proposal  of  Hopkins  known  to  the  Hritish  public;  and  it  were 
very  natural  to  infer  the  expediency  of  colonizing,  from  the  wisdom 
of  evangelizing  that  benighted  land.  Still,  we  arc  warranted  to  say 
no  more  than  this.  If  either  of  the  two  great  men,  Sharp  and  Hop 
kins,  received  his  first  idea  of  colonization  indirectly  from  the  other, 
it  is  more  probable  that  the  grandson  of  the  English  archbishop  was 
aided  by  the  Puritan  divine,  than  that  the  Puritan  divine  was  aided 
by  the  grandson  of  the  archbishop.  To  the  British  philanthropist, 
belongs  the  distinction  of  having  been  first  to  execute  the  plan  which, 
perhaps,  was  never  suggested  to  him  by  •another.  To  the  Rhode 
Island  philanthropist,  belongs  'he  distinction  of  having  been  the  first 
man  in  the  world  who  is  kiunrn  to  have  originated  a  scheme  of 
African  colonization,  and  of  having  "done  what  he  could  "  to  make 
it  practically  successful.  This  scheme  was  not  a  bare  idea.  It  had 
an  historical  result.  How  could  it  have  been  otherwise  ?  1C  very 
good  thought  is  useful.  Such  a  thought  as  this,  presented  to  the 
public  year  after  year  by  a  powerful  rcasoner,  must  have  produced 
an  impression,  deep,  if  not  obvious.  Who  has  ever  labored  so  long 
for  any  worthy  object,  without  accomplishing  some  good?  It  must 
bo  remembered,  that  with  all  his  foes,  some  of  the  mo>t  enterprising 
ministers  in  New  ICngland  were  the  admirers  and  disciples  of  HOJH 
ktns.  He  addressed  to  them  letters  and  circulars;  he  sent  to  them 
newspapers  and  sermons  on  the  subject,  and  thus  prepared  their  own 
minds  and  the  minds  of  their  children  for  n  scheme  of  evangelizing 
Africa,  by  means  of  moral  and  religious  colonies.  Let  ns  contem 
plate  one  among  several  like  instances,  of  the  elVeet  which  Hopkins 
may  have  produced  on  the  generation  that  was  entering,  when  he 
was  leaving,  the  scenes  of  public  life. 

Samuel  .1."  Mills  was  in  his  twenty-first  year,  when  the  subject  of 
this  Memoir  died.  The  father  of  Mr.  Mills  was  the  Congregational 
minister  of  Torringford,  Connecticut,  a  town  in  the  vicinity  of  (Jreat 
Harrington,  lie  is  known  to  have  been  a  personal  admirer  of  Hop- 
Kins,  a  believer  in  the  main  peculiarities  of  the  Hopkinsiun  theology, 
lie  was  recognized  through  life  as  sulishtntiufh/i  nit  hough  not  in  all 
tninudfr,  a  Hopkinsian  divine.  It  is  understood,  that  as  long  as  both 
of  these  pastors  lived,  they  were  in  the  habit  of  personal  intercourse,1 
with  each  other;  at  least  as  often  as  once  a  year,  at  the  Hartford 
election;  and  that  Hopkins  was  in  the  habit  of  sending  to  Torring- 


•  Alexander'*  History  of  African  Colonization,  p.  65.  Dr.  Alexander  seems  to  have 
thought,  that  I lopkin*  corresponded  with  Sharp  before  the  Sierra  Leone  project  had  been 
started.  Not  so,  however. 


MEMOIIL 


165 


ford,  as  to  oilier  towns,  gome  of  the  essays  which  he  published  on 
his  favorite  African  scheme.*  Now  it  is  an  interesting  fact,  that 
in  less  than  seven  years  after  the  death  of  Hopkins,  Samuel  J. 
Mil!*,  the  son  of  tho  Torringford  pastor,  wrote  in  his  Diary:  — 
44  I  long  to  have  the  time  arrive,  when  the  gospel  shall  ho  preached 
to  the  poor  Africans,  and  likewise  to  all  nations."!  Why  did  tho 
African  mission,  rather  than  tho  Indian,  first  occur  to  him  at  this 
curly  period  !  In  thirteen  years  after  tho  death  of  the  man  who  had 
recommended  the  formation  of  a  "  Company,"  for  superintending 
tho  emigration  of  the  negroes,  (see  p.  1  17,  above,)  Mr.  Mills  became 
a  conspicuous  agent  for  a  colonization  society,  It  was  with  tho 
Hpirit  of  a  missionary,  that  he  embarked  in  an  enterprise,  which  was 
commended  twenty  years  before,  in  the  same  spirit,  by  his  father's 
friend.  Can  any  one,  who  has  watched  the  transmission  of  influence 
from  'fireside  interviews  and  juvenile  impressions,  (especially  in  the 
families  of  our  New  England  pastors,)  he  slow  to  believe,  that  the 
mind  of  young  Mills  had  been,  in  some  degree,  directly  or  indirect 
ly,  educated  for  this  sphere  of  beneficence  by  the  journals  and  pam 
phlets  which  his  father  had  been  receiving,  for  thirty  years,  from  tho 
Newport  divinel  It  is  not  according  to  the  analogy  of  (iod's  provi 
dence,  that  thirty  years  of  untiring  labor  for  any  benevolent  enter 
prise,  should  fail  to  produce  home  impression  upon  the  families 
which  were  partial  to  the  laborer. 

We  do  not  pretend,  that  Hopkini  produced  a  distinctly  and  easily 
perceptible  elVect  in  favor  of  Chrislluni/.ing  or  of  colonizing  Africa. 
Tlie  manv  disappointments  of  his  life  give  it  a  tinge  of  melancholy. 
His  was  not  the  cheering  lot  of  such  men  as  Moses  Stuart,  who,  be 
fore  they  die,  clearly  .</r  the  results  of  their  life's  toil.  Hopkins 
inril  l»v  faith,  not  by  sight.  He  disseminated  philanthropic  plans, 
whose  influence,  has  been  in  a  great  measure  invisible.  Hut  unsccif 
results  are  none  the  less  real.  It  is  one  lesson  to  be  gathered  from 
his  Memoir,  that  perseverance  in  duty,  even  amid  disheartening  re 
pulses,  \vill  end  well;  that  an  idea  will  never  be  lost,  even  though  it 
be  "buried  long;"  that  "great  truths  can  bo  expressed  no  where, 
without  .spreading  themselves  cn-ry  where," 


llio  liuhil  of 


*   In  iiU(Mii|>iiii^  U>  iiirerluw,  \\liftlicr  llieso   Iwo  clergymen  \u 

|i!sloliirv  nirrt"»|ioiulriiei'  \\itli  i'iirli  oilier,  lln»  \\rilcr  Irarnnl,  llint  in  DociniiluT,  )!1'2;J, 
licii  Mr.  Mill*  \MM  civilly  \rar-i  of  ii£i«,  his  home,  lilirary,  niniiiiNrripU,  portrait, 
lc,,  \\i-n-  l.nriii'il.  It  is  <li';imri!v  renn'iuliereil,  li<i\vi>vur,  tint  unions  oilier  work*  of 
lupkiiH  in  Mr.  MilU's  lilirary,  \va's  ilu<  Memoir  of  Madam  O-lmrn,  uhirh  ili-imU  u  purl 
f  llio  M'lu'ino  for  rivili/iii»f  uml  cviiu^i'li/iiifj  Africa.  Tlii:i  Mcinoir  wns  extensively 
.-ail  n  half  r.-ntury  !i^«,  in  the  families  of  New  Kiiijiainl  clergymen, 

t  Hprins'*  I  -ifo'  of  Mills,  p.  2-k 


166  MEMOIR. 

SECT.  XLI.    INTEREST  IN  THE  NEGRO  POPULATION  OP  NEWPORT. 

Mr.  Hopkins  was  not  ono  of  thoso  men  who  expend  their  y.eal  on 
remote  objects  of  charity,  while  they  neglect  such  as  uro  near  at 
home.  On  the  23d  of  June,  1780,  ho  writes  to  Dr.  West : 

"The  blacks  look  to  mo  a«  their  patron,  and  some  of  thorn  have  applied  to 
rno  to  preach  to  them  in  public,  alleging  that  a  considerable  number  would 
attend,  mid  that  there  was  on  uncommon  and  incrvfutinjf  desire  among  them 
to  be  instructed,  I  have  preached  to  them  two  Sabbath*,  nt  six  o'clock,  P.  M., 
in  the  meeting-house.  A  considerable  number* attend,  and  behave  HO  well, 
that  the  whites  who  are  present,  (for  they  are  not  excluded,)  can't  but  Hpeuk 
in  their  favor.  Hut  this,  I  expect,  will  make  me  many  enemies,  and  be  the 
occasion  of  my  falling  under  much  reproach.  However,  a  persuasion  that  I 
nin  in  thn  wav  of  duty,  and  tlie  hope  that  1  may  be  the  means  of  some  pood  to 
the  poor  blacks,  I  hope  will  be  miHicient  to  support  me,  whatever  obloquy  or 
Huil'ering  may  be  the  consequence." 

Notwithstanding  all  his  abstruse  discussions,  his  meeting-house 
was  the  favorite  resort  of  the  negro  population,  on  the  Sabbath. 
44  One  side  of  the  gallery  was  appropriated  to  their  nse."  Several 
of  them  belonged  to  his  church;  and  among  the  subscribers  to  his 
44  metaphysical  "  System  of  Divinity  are  enrolled  the  names,  not  only 
of  Dr.  Krskinc,  of  Edinburgh,  and  Dr.  Ryland,  of  hngland,  but  also 
of  Congo  Jenkins  and  /.ingo  Stevens,'' of  Newport,  and  Cato  M  win- 
ford  and  Nimble  Nightingale,  of  Providence.  There  were  seven 
teen  negro  subscriber?,  in  Providence  and  Newport  for  that  recon 
dite  work.  The  remembrance  of  .such  facts  as  these,  led  Dr.  ('ban 
ning  to  say,  that  Hopkins  "  labored  for  the  education  of  the  colored 
people,  and  had  the  happiness  of  seeing  the  fruits  of  his  labors  in  the 
intelligence  and  exemplary  piety  of  those  who  came  under  his  in 
fluence.  "  * 


SKCT.  XLII.    INTEREST  IN  NATIONAL  AND  CIIUKCH   POLITY. 

Mr.  Hopkins  lived  nt  a  period  of  high  political  excitement.     He 

took  an  interest  in  all  that  concerned  his  country.  4<  His  Fast  Ser 
mons,"  says  ono  of  his  successors  at  Newport, t  u  were  a  perfect 
terror  to  evil-doers."  4t  Like  most  of  the  ministers  of  the  time," 
says  Dr.  Channing,  "  he  was  a  strong  Federalist."  He  did  not 
spare  the  opposing  party,  although  one  of  his  prominent  male  church 
members  was  earnest  in  its  defence.  About  a  year  before  his  death, 
he  writes : 

"  December  11, 1802.  Oa  thanksgiving  day,  I  Raid  in  my  sermon,  'that  wo 
had  no  reason  to  bo  thankful  that  the  distinguished  blasphemer  of  Christ  and 
Christianity,  and  revilcr  of  our  beloved  Washington,  —  Paine,  —  was  come  to 
America,  and  that  lie  was  invited  here  and  caressed  by  many  who  were  in 
high  stations ! '  This  was  soon  spread  through  the  town,  and  obtained  the 

•  Chnnninjr'j  Work«r  vol.  iv.  p.  350. 

t  Rev.  Dr.  Hitchcock,  of  Randolph,  Maw. 


MEMOIR.  167 

encomium  of  the  Federalist* ;  bat  the  contrary  of  §ome  of  the  Democrat*.  I 
aay  some  of  them,  because  I  believe  that  a  number  of  them  are  really  ashamed 
and  Borry,  that  ho  was  invited  in  the  manner  he  has  been,  and  that  ho  is  come." 

Equally  decided  was  Mr.  Hopkins  on  questions  of  church  govern 
ment.  His  friend  Dr.  Hart,  while  absorbed  in  the  plan  of  union 
between  the  Presbyterians  and  Congrcgutioimlists,  desired  the  New 
port  divinu'n  opinion  on  tho  subject,  and  received  the  following 
reply : 

M  Auguflt  30, 1701i  You  inform  me  that  a  committee  from  the  Synod  ot 
General  Anaembly  of  IVjsbytorians,  and  one  from  tho  clergy  in  Connecticut, 
am  to  moot  at  Now  Haven;  and  ask, '  What  do  you  think  we  Hluill  do?'  An 
swer:  I  believe  you  will  do  nothing  very  great  and  important.  It  may  servo 
to  cultivate  friendship,  and  koop  up  a  correspondence  which  may  answer  val 
uable  ends.  And  you  may  agree  upon  somo  method  or  rule,  by  which  can 
didates  or  dismissed  ministers  shall  be  recommended  froii}  one  to  tho  othor, 
without  which  rocommciidation  they  shall  not  bo  received ;  which  may  pre 
vent,  in  future,  disorders  of  that  kind  which  have  taken  place  liorotofbro.  Hut 
it  cannot  be  expected,  that  you  will  agree  and  unite  in  one  form  of  church 
government  and  discipline." 

After  Mr.  Hopkins  Imd  been  engaged  in  Htiulying  tho  prophet-it*, 
and  had  become  familiar  with  tho  symbolical  style,  he  made  freqiuMij 
use  of  the  epithet  frogs.  In  one  of  his  letters  he  says :  "  On  im> 
18th  of  this  month,  the  Hev.  Mr.  James  Freeman  was  ordained  pas 
tor  of  tli«  Firvt  Episcopal  Church  in  Hoston.  This  was  done,  I  con 
clude,  by  the  Congregational  ministers  in  lloston.  What  is  the  world 
coming  to!  This  is  Catholicism  indeed!  Frogs — spirits  of  devils, 
working  wonders  !  "  Mr.  Freeman  was  afterwards  n  Unitarian. 

It  is  well  known  that  Mr.  Hopkins  was  active  in  the  formation  of 
Congregational  churches ;  and  ho  left  among  his  papers  the  ensuing 
plan  of  government  and  discipline.  It  ]M>SHCSSCS  u  rare  historical 
value.  It  illustrates  its  author's  independence,  his  high  tone  of 
morals,  bis  exactness  of  Christian  discipline. 

"Articles  of  a  Church. 

"We,  the  subscribers,  being  persuaded  that  we  arc  called  by  God  to 'form 
ourselves  into  a  Christian  church,  entering  into  covenant  with  God,  and  with 
each  other,  to  walk  in  all  tho  commandments  and  ordinances  of  the  Lord,  and 
to  watch  over  and  assist  ono  another  in  love  and  faithfulness,  and  devoting 
ourselves^  with  till  we  have,  to  the-  Borvice  of  Christ,  and  to  promote  his  inter 
est  and  kingdom,  do  agree  in  the  following  articles,  which  wo  think  agreeable 
to  tho  Word  of  God,  and  important,  and  necessary  to  be  observed,  in  order  to 
the  best  regulation  and  prosperity  of  a  church  of  Christ 

"I.  That  none  arc  qualified,  in  tho  sight  of  God,  to  bo  members  of  a 
Christian  church,  unless  they  be  true  believers  in  Jesus  Christ,  so  oa  to  bo  his 
real  friends,  and  obedient  to  him.  And  therefore  none  are  visible  members 
of  a  church  of  Christ,  or  ought  to  bo  admitted  there,  but  those  who  appear  to 
understand  tho  doctrines  and  precepts  of  tho  gospel,  and  profess  true  repent 
ance,  and  faith  in  Christ,  ana  engage  hearty  obedience  to  him,  and  whoso 
conversation  is  agreeable  to  such  profession  and  engagement. 


163  MEMOIR. 

"II.  Tho  children  of  those  believer*  who  oro  member*  of  tho  visible 
church,  observing  all  things  which  Christ  has  commanded,  arc  included  in 
the  covenant  with  their  parents,  and  arc  proper  subjects  of  baptism,  and  ought 
to  be  given  up  to  Christ  in  that  ordinance  by  the  parents.  But  no  other  chil 
dren  may  bo  baptized. 

"III.  A  careful  and  strict  discipline  is  to  be  exercised  and  maintained  by 
every  particular  church,  over  all  the  members  of  it;  be  ing  very  careful  and 
cautious  in  admit  tint;  members,  that  noro  be  admitted  but  those  who  appear 
to  have  tho  qualifications  above  mentioned;  an  J  watching  over  one  another, 
and  reproving  and  admonishing  those  who  walk  disorderly,  contrary  to  their 
profession  and  engagements;  nnd  canting  them  out  of  the  church,  who,  after 
proper  admonition,  continue  impenitent  and  unreformed.  And  the  general 
rule,  for  the  discipline  of  offending  members,  is  given  by  Christ  in  Matt, 
xviii.  15,  &c. 

"  IV.  In  all  cases  to  be  decided  by  tho  church,  tho  voice  of  the  majority  of 
tho  brethren  present  must  be  considered  ns  the  act  of  the  church.  However, 
when  there  shall  be  any  dissenters,  who  disagree  with  the  majority,  in  ajiv 
case,  they  must  be  treated  with  love  and  great  tenderness;  and  all  proper 
means  must  be  used  by  tho  rest  of  the  church  to  convince  them,  and  persuade 
them,  at  least,  so  far  to  acquiesce  in  the  act  of  the  church,  as  to  take  no  o  fie  nee, 
though  they  cannot  nee  their  way  clear  to  act  with  them. 

"  V.  The  pastor  of  the  church  is  to  have  no  vote  in  the  decision  of  any 
matter  before  the  church.  He  is  to  act  as  moderator,  and  give  all  the  light 
and  assistance  he  can  to  the  church,  in  till  cases  that  may  lie  before  them. 

"VI.  Every  church  hath  u  right  to  choose  their  own  pastor;  but  he  is  to 
be  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  not  by  the  brethren  of  the  church, 
but  by  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  Presbytery;  that  is,  ministers  of  tho 
gospel. 

"VII.  There  ought  not  to  be  any  appeaj  from  the  judgment  and  decision 
of  a  particular  church,  to  any  higher  judicatory  which  lias  authority  to  set 
aside  what  they  do,  or  oblige  them  to  recede  from  it;  but  each  church  hath 
full  power  to  determine,  within  and  for  itself,  who  shall  be  admitted  as  mem 
bers,  and  who  ought  to  bo  censured  and  cast  oAit;  and  to  decide  all  oilier  mat 
ters  that  may  be  before  thorn.  JJut  it  may  be  proper  and  expedient,  in  cases 
tint  are  dillicult,  or  in  which  the  church  is  much  divided,  before  they  proceed 
to  act  and  decide,  to  request  the  assistance  of  pastors  and  delegates  of  other 
churches,  in  order  to  obtain  light  and  direction.  Hut  such  pastors  and  dele 
gates  have  no  authority  to  control  the  church  which  applies  to  them;  but  only 
to  instruct  and  advise. 

"  VIII.  As  the  education  of  the  children  of  the  church,  who  have  been  bnp- 
ti/ed,  is  of  vast  importance,  and  the  parents  have  solemnly  engaged,  to  Cod 
and  to  the  church,  to  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord, 
tho  church  ought  to  take  a  particular  care  of  this  matter;  and  where  there  ap 
pears,  to  be  a  great  neglect,  the  faulty  parent  is  to  be  admonished,  and  reject 
ed  if  he  do  not  reform.  And  such  children  are  to  be  under  the  care  and  dis 
cipline  of  the  church,  when  they  are  adult,  RO  as  to  be  capable  of  judging  and 
acting  for  themselves,  in  matters  of  religion.  And  if  tdey  walk  disorderly, 
and  refuse  to  do  whatsoever  Christ  has  commanded,  a  tier  proper  admonition, 
they  are  to  be  rejected. 

"  IX.  The  church  ought  to  have  frequent  stated  meetings  ;  at  least,  always 
before  their  attendance  on  the  lord's  supper,  which  ought  to  be  once  a  month, 
at  least.  At  which  meeting,  and  all  other  meetings  of  the  church,  both  males 
and  females  ought  to  attend,  when  the  business  that  may  be  before  the  church 
is  to  be  transacted ;  and  the  church  arc  to  pray  together,  and  to  converse  freely 
on  any  matters  relating  to  their  holy  profession,  that  may  be  proposed,  and 
receive  instruction  and  exhortation  from  tho  pastor,  as  time  and  circumstances 
admit  and  require. 

"X.  The  persons  that  desire  to  join  with  the  church,  shall  apply  to  tho 
pastor;  and  after  they  have  been  examined  by  him,  shall  come  before  tho 


MEMOIR.  169 

church,  at  one  of  thoir  mooting  mentioned  in  the  preceding  article,  that  the 
church  may  have  opportunity  to  satisfy  themselves  respecting  their  qualifica 
tions  for  admission.  And  ii  the  church  approve  of  them,  their  proposal  to  join 
with  the  church  shall  be  published  to  the  congregation.  Ana  if  no  reasona 
ble  objection  be  made  against  it,  they  shall  then  be  admitted,  by  making  a 
public  profession,  and  entering  into  covenant 

"XI.  When  any  person  shall  be  recommended  to  stated  communion  in  the 
church,  by  any  other  church,  as  in  good  standing  with  them,  ho  shall  not  be 
admitted  upon  such  recommendation,  until  he  give  opportunity  to  the  church 
to  bo  acquainted  with  liis  religious  sentiments  and  exercises,  so  far  as  to  sat 
isfy  thorn  thut  it  is  proper  for  thorn  to  admit  him. 

"  XII.  As  the  church  is  a  public  society,  a  city  set  upon  a  hill,  that  cannot 
be  hid,  the  members  of  it  ought  to  be  admitted  publicly,  before  the  congrega 
tion  ;  and  when  uny  person  falls  under  the  censure  of  the  church,  ho  ought  not 
to  be  restored  until  ho  makes  a  public,  credible  profession  of  repentance. 
And  when  the  church  rejects  any  of  its  members,  it  ought  to  be  done  pub 
licly. 

"XIII.  It  belongs  to  the  church  to  choose  their  pastor,  and  to  see  that  ho 
is  well  supported,  so  that  ho  may  give  himself  wholly  to  the  work  of  the  min 
istry,  if  they  be  able,  taking  the  whole  of  it  on  themselves,  except  what  others 
shall  voluntarily  give.  And  in  furnishing  this  support,  each  member  of  the 
church  ought  to  give  in  proportion  to  his  substance  and  ability.  And  the 
church  arc  to  watch  over  ouch  other  with  respect  to  this;  and  if  any  member 
shall  neglect  and  refuse  to  do  so  much  as  the  church  shall  judge  is  no  more 
than  his  proportion,  he  ought  to  be  rejected  and  censured  as  covetous. 

"XIV.  The  church  ought  to  take  a  kind  and  tender  care  of  nil  the  poor 
members  who  need  their  assistance,  HO  that  none  shall  want  of  necessaries  for 
the  body.  And  for  this  end  they  ought  always  to  have  a  suflicient  stock  in 
the  hands  of  the  deacons,  to  be  distributed  by  them  according  to  their  best 
discretion. 

"  XV.  The  church  is  to  choose  deacons,  who  are  to  take  the  charge  and 
cnre  of  all  the  temporals  of  the  church,  for  the  support  of  the  pastor,  the  sup 
ply  of  the  poor* of  the  church,  and  furnishing  the  Lord's  table,  or  for  answering 
any  other  purjxisos  which  the  church  shall  undertake.  And  the  deacons  ought 
to  be  ordained  to  this  work. 

"XVI.  brethren  ought  not  to  go  to  law  with  each  other;  according  to  1 
Cor.  vi.  1,  &c.  But  when  any  one  thinks  himself  injured  by  another  in  his 
temporal  interest,  if  the  matter  cannot  be  healed  more  privately,  he  ought  to 
bring  it  before  the  church.  And  if  the  injurious  person  refuse  to  hear  the 
church,  he  must  be  rejected ;  and  then  the  injured  brother  may  make  use  of 
the  civil  law  to  recover  his  right. 

"  XVII.  Churches  ought  not  to  allow  any  of  thoir  members  to  marry  to 
persons  of  openly  wicked  lives,  or  who  arc  infidels,  or  embrace  and  maintain 
damnable  errors." 


SKCT.  XLIII.    INFMJKNCE  OF  HOI'KINS'S  PERSONAL  CHARACTER 
UPON   HIS  THEOLOGICAL  SYSTEM. 

When  we  reflect  on  the  philanthropic  movements  of  this  indefati 
gable  man,  we  arc  inclined  to  imagine  tlmt  he  was  merely  a  philan 
thropist  ;  and  when  we  consider  h.'s  theological  labors,  we  are  apt  to 
conceive  of  him  as  merely  a  theologian.  We  forget  that  his  philan 
thropy  was  his  theology  drawn  out  into  practice,  and  that  his  theo 
logical  speculations  were  prompted  and  followed  by  philanthropic 
aims.  We  cannot  understand  him  as  a  theologian,  without  cxum- 


170  MEMOIR. 

ining  his  life  of  beneficence ;  nnd  we  cannot  appreciate  bis  activity 
in  doing  good,  without  studying  his  peculiarities  a*  a  divine. 

In  estimating  the  influence  of  our  author's  personal  character 
upon  his  theological  system,  let  us  first  consider  his  transparent 
honesty,  as  affecting  the  structure  of  his  creed.  Seeking  neither 
wealth  nor  fame,  he  kept  his  mind  open  to  the  teachings  of  the  divine 
word,  and  scrupled  not  to  express  his  convictions,  whatever  they 
might  ho.  His  system,  therefore,  is  /<».<  oirn.  A  large  part  of  its 
value  consists  in  the  fact,  that  it  is  the  result  of  his  own  thought,  and 
is  wo  expressed  as  to  please  himself  rather  than  his  neighbor*.  This 
is  a  rare  merit.  Of  what  use  is  it  to  write  u  theological  system  for 
the  purpose  of  gratifying  the  prejudices  of  a  party?  In  reading  the 
works  of  Hopkins,  we  feel  that  we  are  near  his  heart.  Whether  we 
approve  or  disapprove  his  words,  we  are  quickened  by  them,  as  the 
plain-spoken  language  of  an  honest  man.  He  did  not  write  as  a 
diplomatist.  In  some  respects,  he  resembled  the  early  teachers  of 
Christianity.  As  they  resisted  all  the  religious  parties  around  them, 
so  he,  amiable  as  was  his  private  character,  gave  offence  to  all  the 
sects  and  schools  with  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  often  spoke 
in  condemnatory  words  of  "those  who  called  themselves  Culvinists, 
that  were  for  palliating  the  matter  by,  as  it  were,  trimming  otV  the 
knots  of  Calvinism,  that  they  might  conform  it  more  to  the  taste  of 
those  who  are  most  disposed  to  object  against  it."  His  entire  frank 
ness  of  spirit  led  him  to  express,  in  sermons  and  public  addresses, 
such  doctrines,  with  regard  to  the  divine  agency  in  the  production  of 
sin,  as  other  Culvinists  had  expressed  in  scientific  treatises  only. 
Where  this  honesty  was  known,  it  was  highly  revered  ;  and,- there 
fore,  many  of  the  Quakers,  the.'  Methodists,  the  Baptists,  who  had 
opposed  his  doctrinal  views,  were  among  the  most  reverential  ad 
mirers  of  him  as  a  man.  and  a  Christian. 

The  open-heurtedness  of  Hopkins  is  well  illustrated  in  the  follow 
ing  reminiscence  by  Dr.  dimming :  "  One  day  he  dined  at  my 
father's,  with  a  young  minister  who  was  willing  to  comply  with  the 
costume  of  the  (lay,  but  whose  modesty  only  allowed  the  rufiles  to 
peep  from  his  breast.  The  doctor  said,  with  good  humor,  « I  don't 
care  for  rufiles;  hut  if  I  wore  them,  I'd  wear  them  like  a  man.'"  * 
It  was  just  so  in  his  theology.  He  exposed  what  he  had. 

Our  author's  strength  of  character  induced  him  to  give  an  unusual 
prominence  to  the  more  difficult  parts  of  theology,  and  thus  it  shaped 
his  entire  system.  Whether  his  speculations  be  true  or  false,  he  has 
done  a  great  work  in  promoting  manly  discussion*  in  convincing  his 
readers  that  piety  is  something  more  than  a  blind  sentimentalism, 
and  that  theology  is  something  better  than  a  superstitious  faith.  He 

•  Works,  vol.  ir.  p.  318. 


MEMOIR,  171 

has  encouraged  men  to  examine  intricate  theories,  and  the  examina 
tion  has  saved  them  from  scepticism.  Hundreds  have  been  repulsed 
into  infidelity,  by  the  fear  of  good  men  to  encounter  philosophical 
objections.  Hopkins  was  too  strong  for  such  fears.  lie  had  that 
sterling  common  sense  which  loves  to  grapple  with  important  truths, 
cost  what  they  may  of  toil.  The  great  problem  of  the  existence  of 
sin  early  awakened  his  curiosity,  and  moved  the  depths  of  his 
heart.*  A  weaker  man  would  havu  shrunk  from  the  investigation 
of  such  a  theme.  But  he  was  ready  to  defend  all  parts  of  what  he 
loved  to  call  "  a  consistent  Calvinism."  His  readiness  to  encounter 
the  hardest  subjects  and  the  sturdiest  opponents,  was  foretokened  by 
one  of  his  early  corporeal  feats.  It  is  reported  that  an  insane  man, 
stalwart  and  furious,  was  once  escaping*  from  his  keepers  with  fearful 
speed  ;  but  the  young  divine  intercepted  him,  and  held  him  fast  until 
the  maniac  gave  up,  and  cried,  "  Hopkins,  you  arc  my  master." 

Throughout  the  unpublished  and  the  published  writings  of  Hop 
kins,  there  breathes  11  masculine  spirit,  which  refuses  to  be  satisfied  by 
assertion  instead  of  argument,  and  insists  on  the  legitimate  use  of 
the  faculties  which  God  has  given  us.  At  the  age  of  sixty-five,  he 
writes  to  Dr.  Hart :  "I  ask  what  faith  I  shall  have  in  the  power  of 
God,  or  what  belief  of  any  revealed  truth,  if  I  do  not  so  far  trust  to 
my  own  understanding,  as  to  think  and  be  confident  that  I  do  under 
stand  that  God  has  revealed  certain  truths,  and  what  they  are."  In 
his  thirty-fifth  year,  Hopkins  seized  at  what  he  deemed  a  tacit  con 
cession  of  Dr.  Mayhcw,  that  Armininnism  could  not  be  sustained  by 
reason.  He  writes  to  Bellamy  :  »  1  think  he  [May hew]  says  that 
which  may  be  fairly  construed  as  a  crying  down  reason,  under  the 
name  of  metaphysical)  or  some  epithet  tantamount."  Hopkins  was 
too  vigorous  to  leave  such  a  concession  unnoticed,  Ho  turns  the 
tables  on  his  Arminian  opposers,  and  they  censure  him  for  his  argu 
mentative  style,  — the  very  thing  for  which  they  have  been  censured, 
again  and  again,  by  their  antagonists.  Our  stout  champion  says, 
that  "  Pelagians  and  Arminians  have  been,  in  too  many  instances, 
treated  so  by  their  opponents,  the  professed  Calvinists.  The  former 
have  gloried  in  their  reasoning  against  the  latter,  as  unanswerable 
demonstration.  The  latter,  instead  of  detecting  the  weakness,  fallacy, 
and  absurdity  of  the  reasoning  of  the  former,  and  maintaining  their 
cause  on  this  ground,  as  well  they  might,  have  endeavored  to  defend 
themselves  from  this  weapon  by  bringing  it  into  disgrace,  and  rejecting 


•  Five  weeks  nfler  ho  had  finished  his  theological  studies  at  Northampton,  our  young 
candidate  is  found  in  n  dispute  with  the  missionary  Sergeant,  EdwardVs  predecessor 
at  Hlockbridge.  Ho  writes  :  "July  8,  1743.  Wcnl  to  gee  Mr.  Sergeant,  nnd  incur 
discourse  he  denied  that  the  aposllo  spukc  of  himself  in  tho  seventh  chapter  of  Romans. 
Wo  had  some  talk  upon  it,  but  brought  nothing  to  n  point.  I  am  not  satisfied  whether 
it  is  from  an  Arminian  principle  or  not,  that  Mr.  Sergeant  hold*  this.  I  know  many 
Arminians  arc  of  his  mind  as  to  this  chapter."  ,  > 


172  MEMOIR. 

it  under  the  nnmo  of  carnal,  unsanctified  reason,  &c.  This  has  been 
so  far  from  humbling  or  giving  them  the  least  conviction  of  their  errors, 
that  it  has  had  a  contrary  effect  to  a  very  great  and  sensible  degree. 
And  no  wonder ;  for  this  was  the  direct  tendency  of  it,  as  it  is  an 
implicit  confession  that  they  felt  themselves  worsted  at  reasoning."  * 

Our  author's  benevolence  and  sense  of  justice  and  equity  moulded 
his  theological  belief.  It  was  more  natural  for  him  than  for  some 
other  men,  to  resolve  all  virtue  into  benevolence.  He  had  virtue 
enough  to  bear  an  analysis,  and  he  felt  that  all  his  virtue  was  reduci 
ble  to  love.  He  judged  that  our  moral  disease  needed  severe  medi 
cines,  and  ho  therefore  gave  them.  He  aimed  to  increase  the  happiness 
of  men,  by  making  them  willing  to  lose  themselves  in  the  divine  glory. 
He  was  strict,  because  he  deemed  a  strict  life  to  bo  a  truly  kind  one. 
His  faith  was  rigid,  for  the  same  reason  that  his  conduct  was  philan 
thropic.  The  tendency  of  pome  modern  Peculations  to  discourage 
all  penal  enactments,  is  effectually  met  by  the  profound  reasonings 
of  our  author  on  the  justice  of  eternal  punishment.  The  spirit  of 
his  entire  system  is  one  of  stern  opposition  to  sin,  because  sin  de 
serves  this  opposition,  and  because  the  interests  of  the  universe 
require  it.  Ho  gives  an  unusual  prominence  to  the  idea,  that  the 
severest  of  the  divine  dispensations  are  prompted  by  a  desire  to  pro 
mote  the  highest  happiness  of  the  largest  number.  He  meant  that 
those  theories  which  are.  called  severe,  should  rest  on  a  basis  of  love. 
It  would  have  been  impossible  for  him  to  make  the  doctrines  of  high 
Calvinism  so  impressive  as  hn  has  made  them,  unless  he  bad  ex 
plained,  with  unusual  fulness,  the  equity  of  the  divine  administration. 
Ho  ever  attempted  to  show  that  his  doctrines  were  fair,  as  well  as 
true.  He  believed  that  (iod  imputes  the  sin  of  Adam  to  all  men,  but 
only  because,  and  so  far  forth  as,  all  men  have  first  "approved  of" 
that  sin,  and  chosen  to  make  it  their  own.  Ho  believed  that  (iod 
imputes  the  holiness  of  Christ  to  believers ;  but  only  on  condition 
that  they  first  "  approve;  of"  Christ's  holiness,  and  prefer  to  imitate  it. 
The  genius  of  Ilopkins's  theology  consists  in  its  attempting  to  show 
the  entire  rectitude  of  the  divine  government,  and  then  in  exalting 
that  government  high  above  all  other  interests.  We  cannot  delight 
too  much  in  a  sovereignty  which  is  congenial  with  equity.  The 
speculations  of  our  author  have  been  termed  abstract;  some  of  them 
were  so,  but  their  general  aim  was  practical  and  benevolent.  Their 
main  drift  was,  to  enforce  obedience  to  (iod,  by  showing  that  obedi 
ence  is  our  reasonable  duty.  Their  prevailing  scope  was  to  prove, 
that  (Iod  ought  to  be  a  Sovereign,  and,  therefore,  is  one  ;  that 
his  decrees  are  amiable,  and,  therefore,  wo  ought  to  acquiesce  in 
them,  whatever  they  may  be  ;  that  his  law  is  level  to  our  natural 
power,  and,  therefore,  ought  to  bo  obeyed  forthwith.  We  do  not 

•  llopkiui'i  Work*,  vol.  iii.  pp.  VJZ,  4'J3. 


^.       MEMOIR.  173 

auppoie  that  all  his  speculations  wore  perfectly  accurate,  but  they  all 
pointed  to  this  practical  truth :  The  first,  the  immediate,  the  fair, 
the  reasonable  duty  of  all  moral  agents  is,  to  love  the  government  of 
God  supremely,  and  submit  to  it  without  reserve ;  to  this  duty,  and 
to  nothing  save  what  involves  this  duty,  sinners  ought  to  he  urged  at 
once,  and  without  exception.  By  the  new  distinctness  which  Hop 
kins  gave  to  this  truth,  he  has  been  made,  and  is  now  made,  an  in 
strument  of  many  revivals  of  religion.  He,  and  the  men  who  drunk 
of  his  spirit,  have  been  distinguished  as  philanthropic  and  enterprising 
Christians.* 

We  cannot  better  illustrate  our  author's  nice  regard  to  equity, 
than  in  the  following  Essay,  which  ho  wrote  only  twelve  ycnrs  after 
Edwards  had  published  the  Treatise,  on  the  Will.  The  essay  exhib 
its,  also,  that  strength  of  mind,  that  honesty  of  heart,  which  made 
our  author  what  he  was.  Unless  he  had  written  and  preached  often 
in  the  style  of  the  following  discussion,  he  could  not  have  sustained 
himself  in  his  high  theories  on  the  predestinating  and  sovereign 
agency  of  God.  We  shall  misunderstand  those  theories,  unless  wo 
view  them  in  the  light  which  they  receive  from  the  Hopkinsian 
statements  in  the  discussion  hero  appended.  The  author  first  pro 
poses  three  questions,  uml  then  gives  his  truly  Kdwurdeun  answers. 

"  Question  first.  If  urulcrivocl  virtue  in  peculiar  to  tho  Deity,  can  it  bo  the 
duty  of  a  creature  to  have  it? 

"Question  second.  If  we  actually  have  all  that  is  communicated  to  us,  is 
not  this  all  we  should  have  ? 

"Question  third.     If  it  in,  is  not  every  ninn  as  good  as  ho  should  bo  ? 

"In  order  to  answer  these  questions,  I  begin  with  i\w  first.  Ifunderived 
virtue  is  peculiar  to  the  Dt'ity,  <'an  it  lie  tlic  duty  of  <i  crc<iture  to  have  it') 

"In  answering  this  question,  I  would  first  fay  down  this  axiom;  for  the 
proof  of  which,  if  not  granted  by  all,  I  refer  to  Edwards  on  ttie.  trill,  passim  : 
Moral  impossibility  or  inability  in  man  to  perform  any  duty,  docs  not  excuse 
him  for  not  performing  it. 

44  Again,  before  I  proceed,  I  shall  inquire  into  the  pcnso  of  the  word  peculiar ; 
for  I  perceive  there  is  an  ambiguity  attending  it,  which  will  bo  apt  to  lead 
into  mistake.  The  word  peculiar  sometimes  signifies  that  which  so  belongs 
to  a  being  or  thing  that  it  is  absolutely  impossible,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
that  it  should  belong  to  any  thing  else ;  or,  that  there  is  a  natural  impossibili 
ty  that  it  should  belong  to  any  other  being  or  thing,  even  though  that  other 
being  should  desire  it,  and  choose  it  never  so  much.  Thus,  self-existence, 
infinity,  &c.,  are  peculiar  to  God. 

"  But  again,  the  word  peculiar  sometimes  signifies  no  more  than  that  which 
belongs  only  to  somo  being  or  beings,  and  not  to  all,  or  to  some  other  being; 
though  it  might  belong  to  tliia  other  being,  did  he  but  choose  it  and  seek  after 
it.  Thus,  a  knowledge  of  tho  liberal  arts  and  sciences  is  peculiar  to  some 
men,  and  does  not  belong  to  others,  who  might  as  well  liavo  it,  if  they  did  but 
choose  it  and  properly  seek  after  it.  Thus,  also,  justice  and  benevolence  are 
peculiar  to  some  men,  although  all  might  possess  thorn  if  they  would.  In  this 
fatter  sense,  underived  virtsro  is  peculiar  to  tho  Deity ;  so  that  although  no 
creature  actually  possesses  it,  yet  all  rational  creatures  might  pcwsesa  it,  if 
they  would;  t. e.,  all  creatures,  supposing  them  to  bo  created  with  barely 

*  tko,  fur  example,  p.  Gi  of  tho  prcicnl  Memoir. 
0* 


174  MEMOIR. 

those  natural  faculties  which  constitute  them  moral  agent*,  may,  if  they 
choose  it,  become  possessed  of  that  virtue  which  shall  be  underived  in  anj 
other  sense  than  tins :  that  as  they  have  derived  their  existence  from  God,  BO 
they  themselves,  and  every  act  and  habit  of  theirs,  or  disposition  of  their 
wills,  is  in  some  sense  derived.  But  their  virtue  may  be  as  much  underived, 
as  men's  wickedness  is  now.  I  say,  there  is  nothing  but  a  volition  or  choice 
of  theirs  wanting  to  effect  this.  For  virtue  consists  primarily  and  principally 
in  a  certain  disposition  of  will;  which,  let  us  suppose,  for  the  present,  to  be 
benevolent ;  for  it  makes  no  odds,  in  the  present  question,  what  disposition 
wo  suppose  it  to  be,  Then,  I  say,  nothing  out  a  choice  is  necessary  in  order 
to  put  one  in  possession  of  benevolence ;  for  if  we  do  but  choose  benevo 
lence,  we  are  pleased  with  it,  and  are  in  love  with  it;  and  if  we  are  in  love 
with  it,  then  wo  have  an  inclination  or  disposition  of  will  to  it.  If  we  have  a 
disposition  of  will^o  it,  then  we  havo  a  disposition  to  wish  well  to  all  beings. 
If  wo  have  a  disposition  to  wish  well  to  all  beings,  then  we  have  benevolence  ; 
for  this  is  nothing  but  such  a  disposition.  Therefore,  if  wo  do  but  choose 
benevolence,  wo  actimlly  have  benevolence.  Therefore,  there  is  nothing  but 
a  volition  or  choice  wanting  in  any  creature,  in  order  to  his  becoming  pos 
sessed  of  underived  virtue.  In  this  latter  sense,  therefore,  underived  virtue  is 
peculiar  to  the  Deity. 

14  Thus  we  havo  shown  in  what  sense  undcrived  virtue1  is  peculiar  to  the 
Deity;  n'z.,  only  «r/iw//y,  or  in  fact,  peculiar  to  him,  and  not  necessarily;  t.  e., 
there  is  no  other  impossibility  but  a  moral  one,  that  a  rational  creature  should 
possess  it.  And  wince  that  (by  the  forementioned  axiom)  does  not  excuse 
from  duty,  notwithstanding  underived  virtue  ia  peculiar  to  the  Deity,  yet  it 
may  well  enough  be  the  duty  of  creatures  to  have  it. 

"This,  then,  is  the  answer  to  the  first  question:  I'M,  it  can  be.  the  duly  of  a 
creature  to  have  it ;  and  actually  is  so,  if  it  be  his  duty  to  have  every  amiable 
quality  which  [it]  is  in  his  power  to  have,  which  he  has  a  fair  oiler  of,  to 
choose  or  refuse,  as  he  pleases. 

"  Now,  against  this  answer,  I  perceive  several  objections  will  be  vehement 
ly  urged.  As,  '  That  men  can't  become  possessed  of  underived  virtue,  it  is 
absolutely  impossible,  niul  men  might  as  well  give  themselves  a  new  heart, 
which  we  know  from  Scripture  to  be  the  peculiar  work  of  God,'  &c. 

44  As  to  the  words  ran'/,  impossible,  &c.,  I  suppose  it  is  generally  well  un 
derstood  what  a  fallacy  is  couched  in  them  ;  nnd  how  vastly  different  their 
signification  is,  when  used  in  a  moral  and  philosophical  sense,  (which  is  the 
case  here,]  from  what  it  is  when  they  nre  used  in  their  vulgar  sense.  So 
Unit  I  need  nay  nothing  to  explain  the  matter  here. 

"Again,  when  it  is  said,  'men  might  as  well  uivc  themselves  a  new  heart,' 
this  is  granted,  that  they  might.  And  although  we  allow  that  this  work  is 
peculiar  to  God,  yet  it  is  peculiar  only  in  the  latter  sense,  above  [named].  So 
that  the  greatest  sinner  on  earth  can  renew  his  own  h^art,  or  change  his  will, 
whenever  he  pleases  ;  which  he  is  bound  to  do  immediately ;  and  is  threatened 
with  eternal  damnation  if  he  finally  docs  not. 

44  It  may  also  be  objected,  *That  it  is  impossible  that  God  should  make  a 
creature  to  be  possessed  of  nmhrivcil  virtue  ;  how,  then,  is  anv  such  thing  nos- 
niblo  at  nil,  since  slltnighty  (!od  cannot  effect  it?'  To  which  I  answer,  It  is 
just  as  possible,  as  sin  was  before?  it  entered  into  the  world.  If  by  God's 
making  a  creature  to  be  possessed  of  underived  virtue,  be  meant  his  enduing 
a  creature  with  it,  we  grant  it  is  impossible,  naturally  impossible.  For  it  is  a 
contradiction,  to  suppose  that  that  which  is  endued  or  bestowed  should  be 
underived.  Hut  that  God  should  make  a  creature  having  perfect  liberty,  is  in 
no  wise  impossible.  Neither  is  it,  nor  can  it  be,  any  other  way  impossible, 
but  in  a  moral  sense,  that  such  a  creature  should  choose  virtue,  and  so  become 
possessed  of  it,  as  much  underived  as  any  disposition  or  volition  whatever. 

"It  may  further  be  said,  atlcr  this  manner:  'How  is  it  possible  that  any 
creature  should  have  underived  virtue,  when  all  virtue  is  as  much  diffused 
from  God,  as  its  fountain,  as  light  is  from  the  sun?  Might  not  men  as  well 


MEMOIR.  175 

sco  light  without  its  being-  disseminated  from  tho  sun,  aa  have  any  virtue  un- 
dcrivcd  from  God?'  It  is  readily  punted,  as  has  already  been  intimated, 
that  all  virtue  is  as  really  and  actually  from  God  as  light  is  from  the  sun;  yet 
still  this  instance  is  not  exactly  parallel.  And  concerning  all  such  illustra 
tions,  transferred  from  tho  natural  world  to  things  of  a  moral  nature,  it  ia 
worthy  of  observation,  that  there  is  a  great  fallacy  in  them,  and  they  greatly 
tend  to  deceive  ;  as  in  such  affairs,  in  tho  natural  world,  the  will  of  no  crea 
ture,  perhaps,  or  at  least  of  the  person  spoken  of,  can  mako  any  alteration  in 
any  respect,  let  it  bo  which  way  it  will.  But  things  of  a  moral  nature  are  all 
dependent  on  tho  will,  and  are  just  as  that  in.  So,  in  tho  present  instance,  if 
the  sun  should  ho  removed,  or  ceaso  to  ditVnso  light,  men  could  not  see,  let 
them  chooso  and  desire  it  an  much  OH  they  will.  Whereas  it  1ms  been  before 
hhown,  that  if  men  did  but  once  choose  virtue,  they  would  be  actually  in  pos 
session  of  it,  however  uncommunicatcd  by  God. 

"  Thus  it  is  shown,  that  though  undenvcd  virtue  be  peculiar  to  tho  Deity, 
yet  it  may  be,  and  in  fact  is,  tho  duty  of  every  rational  creature  to  have  it. 
And  also  several  objections  which  might  be  made  against  this  doctrine,  have 
been  answered;  all  which,  taken  together,  may  suffice  for  an  answer  to  the 
first  question. 

"  The  first  being  answered,  there  need  but  a  word  or  two  be  said  to  the 
others. 

"  Question  second.  If  we  actually  have  all  that  is  actually  communicated 
to  us,  is  not  this  all  we  should  have  ? 

"  Answer.  No  ;  because,  by  the  foregoing  answer,  we  arc  obliged  to  have 
what  is  not  communicated  to  us,,  viz.,  undtrivtd  virtue  ;  (or,  we  are  obliged  to 
have  and  exercise  virtue,  whether  it  is  communicated  to  us  or  not.) 

"Question  third.    If  it  is,  is  not  every  man  as  good  as  he  should  be  ? 

"Answer.  But  it  is  no/,  by  answer  second.  Every  man,- therefore,  is  not 
as  good  as  he  should  be ;  because,  although  ho  has  all  that  is  actually  com 
municated,  yet  he  has  not  all  that  he  should  have. 

"Great  Barrington,  February  11,  17G(J." 

If  the  preceding  document  had  been  published  before  Emmons 
wrote  liis  sermon  on  "The  Excuse  of  Sinners  their  Condemnation," * 
we  should  suppose  that  many  ideas  in  that  sermon  had  been  sug 
posted  by  this  document.  The  design  of  Emmons  is  to  show,  first 
"  What  («od  docs  not  require  of  sinners  which  lie  1ms  not  given 
them  ; ".  secondly,  "  What  lie  does  require  of  them  which  lie  has  not 
\  given  them  ;  "  ajid  thirdly,  "That  they  have  no  reason  to  complain  of 
his  requiring  that  of  them  which  lie  lias  not  given  them."  There  is 
certain! v  a  singular  coincidence  here,  between  the  thoughts  of  Em 
mons  and  those  of  Dr.  Hopkins. 

Our  author's  tenacity  of  purpose  guided  him  in  fashioning  his 
theological  system,  in  adjusting  its  proportions,  and  regulating  tho 
prominence,  of  its  different  parts.  He  contended  most  stoutly  for 
those  articles  which  were  most  vehemently  opposed.  As  men  ob 
jected  less  to  his  doctrine  of  human  freedom  than  to  his  doctrine  of 
the  eternal  decrees,  he  published  less  on  the  former  truth  than  on 
the  latter.  Through  his  whole  life  he  taught,  that  "this  sin  which 

*  Emmons'i  Works,  vol.  vi.  pp.  85,  s<xj. 


176  MEMOIR, 

takes  place  in  the  posterity  of  Admn,  is  not  properly  distinguished 
into  original  nnd  nctunl  fin,  because  it  is  nil  rcnlly  nctunl,  ond  there 
is,  strictly  speaking,  no  other  sin  but  nctunl  sin;"*  still,  ho  did  not 
introduce  this  dgctrine  into  his  works,  so  often  as  he  introduced  the 
doctrine  of  (iod*s  agency  in  producing  moral  evil.  Why  not  ?  Prob 
ably  because  the  former  doctrine  was  not  gainsaid  by  many  of  his 
readers.  This  seems  to  have  boon  n  chief  reason,  why  the  propor 
tions  of  his  system  differ,  somewhat,  from  those  which  we  find  in 
some  other  Hopkinsiun  works.  In  other  circumstances,  he  might, 
have  varied  the  relative  position  of  his  doctrines.  He  was  not  ready 
to  yield  any  tiling  which  he  deemed  true  and  important.  There  is 
something  great  in  his  faithfulness  to  himself.  We  honor  him  for 
his  firmness,  amid  adversaries.  When  reading  some  of  his  very  latest 
epistles,  we  admire  his  adhesion  to  the  creed  of  his  earlier  days.  It 
was  not  the  obstinacy  of  a  bigot,  but  the  Constancy  of  a  Christian 
student.  It  reminds  us  of  his  pertinacity  in  the  physical  habits  of 
his  youth.  "  Dr.  Hcmkius  told  me,"  writes  one  of  his  admirers, 
41  that  in  early  life  he  was  very  sprightly,  and  could  put  his  hands  on 
a  five-rail  fence  and  throw  his  feet  over  with  ease,  and  that  in  his 
old  ngc  he  tried  to  perform  the  same  mawruvre,  but  failed,  falling 
his  whole  length  on  the  ground."  lie  never  gave  dp,  unless  he  were 
obliged  to  do  so  by  Providence.  u  Juttiis  propntiti  tcnar"  is  his 
fitting  designation. 

The  tenacity  of  purpose  for  which  this  good  man  was  so  eminent, 
did  not  always  prevent  his  yielding  his  own  judgment  to  the  advice 
of  his  friends,  on  matters  of  secondary  importance.  Thus  we  are 
told  by  Dr.  Patten,  that  Hopkins  was  inclined  to  publish  in  his 
44  System"  a  certain  section  on  the  *4  agency  of  (iiul  in  the  existence 
of  sin  ;"  but  was  induced  to  omit  it  by  the  counsel  of  men  whom  he 
valued.  Ho' afterwards  regretted  that  he  had  complied  with  their 
advice  ;  but  he  abandoned  no  important  principle  in  the  com 
pliance,  t 

i 

Our  author's  love  of  free,  rational,  and  biblical  inquiry,  had  an 
influence  on  his  doctrinal  faith.  We  may  say  of  him  what  he  suvs 


•  Hopkins'*  Works,  vol.  i.  p.  11\. 

\  Sen  1'atten'n  lloiniiiiMrcncoi,  pp.  112,  soc|.  Tluit  omitted  *rction  is  now  lost.  Ii 
i«  well  known,  tlint  on  the  subject  of  ||u«  divine  agency  in  producing  moral  evil, 
Hopkins  did  not  exactly  agree  with  Drs.  I'.mmnn*  nnd  Samuel  Spring.  He  was  not 
quite  willing  lo  say,  lliat  (Jod's  ngency  in  regard  to  our  wrong  doing  is  as  immediate 
nnd  direct,  ai  his  agency  in  regard  to  our  riglit  doing.  When  Dr.  Kminons  read  to 
Hopkins  (lie  manuscript  of  tin;  celebrated  sermon,  entitled  "  Man'*  Activity  nnd  De 
pendence  Illustrated  and  Reconciled,"  Hopkins  did  not  positively  disapprove  of  it.  hut 
advised  him  to  read  it  to  Dr.  West  beforo  publishing  it.  Knlmons  read  it  lo  West, 
who  coincided  with  ii,  nnd  it  was  published.  On  thin  point,  Hopkins  remained  unwilling 
lo  Knv  so 'much  UN  Knunoin,  although  on  other  points  of  the  subject  ho  xnid  more. 
Suveral  friends  of  Hopkins  assert,  that  in  his  later  year*  ho  locked  upon  Dr.  Kmmonn 
as  the  ablest  theologian  of  New  Kngland. 


* 


MEMOIR.  177 

of  President  Edwards :  •«  Ho  took  his  religious  principles  from  the 
Biblo,  nnd  not  from  any  human  system  or  body  of  divinity.  Though 
his  principles  were  Calvinistic,  yet  ho  called  no  man  father.  He 
thought  and  judged  for  himself,  nnd  was  truly  very  much  of  an 
original. "  *  Hopkins  has  been  called  a  metaphysician ;  but  one 
great  object  of  his  life  was,  to  break  down  a  system  of  false  meta 
physics,  which  interferes  with  the  plain  meaning  of  the  written  word. 
Ha  was  not  perfect,  but  ho  bowed  before  the  revelation  of  God.  His 
reverence  for  the  Creator  made  him  independent  of  creatures.  Many 
European  theologians  have  been  slaves  to  each  other;  but  what  had 
the  minister  of  (jireat  Harrington  to  fear  from  foreign  prescription  ? 
Oxford  could  not  overawe  him.  No  (ecumenical  council  could 
reach  him.  In  many  respects,  it  was  well  for  him  that  ho  was  re 
tired  with  Edwards,  in  the  forests  of  Berkshire.  He  studied  more 
profoundly  nnd  more  freely  at  the  base  of  Monument  Mountain,  than 
lie  would  have  done  amid  the  fashions  of  a  court.  He  was  a  Con 
gregational  minister  in  the  New  World  ;  and  therefore,  if  true  to 
his  calling  and  position,  he  must  have  examined  the  truth  for  himself. 
He  derived  from  Congregationalism  one  of  its  chief  blessings,  —  an 
impulse  as  well  as  a  liberty  to  believe  according  to  evidence,  rather 
than  according  to  prescription. 

Of  course,  3iu  was  accused,  as  an  independent  thinker  is  apt  to 
be  accused,  of  all  kinds  of  heresies.  Once,  when  charged  with 
adopting  Aruiinian  interpretations  of  the  Bible,  he  replies  in  his 
sturdy  way  :  «« It  does  not  fright  mo  at  all,  to  be  told  that  Armininns 
understand  this  text  as  I  do.  For  who  would  not  much  rather  join 
with  the  grossest  Arminians,  so  far  as  they  arc  right,  than  with  the 
most  orthodox  Calvinists,  wherein  they  are  wrong?  "t  When  tired 
of  hearing  the  stale  charge  that  he  had  started  new  doctrines  into 
life,  he  responds:  "I  now  declare,  I  had  much  rather  publish  New 
Diriiiili/  than  any  other.  And  the  more  of  this  the  better,  —  if  it 
be  but  true.  Nor  do  I  think  any  doctrine  can  be  '  too  strange  to 
be  true.'  I  should  think  it  hardly  worth  while  to  write,  if  1  had 
nothing  nctc  to  say."  \  In.  his  "  Animadversions  on  Mr.  Hart's  late 
Dialogue,"  Hopkins  -alludes  to  his  having  been  falsely  act-used  of 
propounding  new  theories,  and  replies:  "This  he  [Mr.  Hart]  has 
over  and  over  again,  above  a  do/.en  times.  He  calls  them  *  new 
doctrines,'  » new  orthodoxy,'  *  u  new  scheme,'  «  new  notidns,'  «  n 
new  system  or  rather  chaos  of  divinity,'  '  upstart  errors,'  &-c.  And 
the  teachers  of  them  he  calls  *  new  apostles,'  » new  divines,'  »  new 
teachers,'  &e.  —  If  this  were  true,  I  see  not  what  reason  there  would 
be  to  make  such  a  great  outcry  about  it.  This  is  really  no  evidence 
against  those  doctrines.  It  is  at  least  possible,  that  there  is  some 
truth  contained  in  the  Bible,  which  has  not  been  commonly  taught ; 

•  Memoir  of  IMwardi,  p.  14.         t  Hopkins'*    Worki,  vol.  iii.  p.  303.        \  Il>.  p.  SW. 


178  MEMOIR. 

yea,  lias  never  been  mentioned  by  any  writer  since  tho  apostles ;  and 
whenever  that  shall  be  discovered  and  brought  out,  it  will  bo  Ticic. 
And  who  knows  but  that  some  such  nno  discoveries  may  be  inndo  in 
our  day  ?  If  so,  unhappy  and  very  guilty  will  ho  the  man  who  shall 
attempt  to  fright  people,  and  raise  their  prejudices  against  it,  by 
raising  the  cry  of  NK\V  Divinity.  Indeed,  I  question  whether  un  au 
thor  can,  with  a  right  temper  and  view,  take  this  method  to  run  any 
doctrine  down,  by  appealing  to  the  prejudices  of  people,  and  keeping 
up  a  constant,  loud  cry  of  n<tr,  upstart  divinity.'** 

So  far  does  Hopkins  indulge  his  independent  spirit,  that  often 
when  he  quotes  other  writers,  even  Kd  wards  himself,  lie  disclaims  all 
intention  to  quote  them  as  establishing  the  truth  of  his  positions,  and 
ho  says  in  one  passage  :  "  I  hope  I  never  shall  he  guilty  of  referring 
to  any  uninspired  i/um  as  an  ituf/toriti/.  \\  hen  I  mentioned  a  sense 
which  (»///(•;•.«  put  upon  this  text,  I  referred  to  the  Doctor  [Doddridge] 
as  one  of  them,  not  as  any  evidence  that  this  was  the  right  sense; 
hut  that  it  was  in  fact  so  understood  by  some,  as  1  asserted."  t  We 
must  concede  that,  here  and  there,  our  author  adopts  a  style  too  in 
tense  and  unqualified,  }  in  asserting  the  duty  of  free  thought.  When 
reprimanded  for  controverting  some  of  the  fathers,  the  intrepid  man 
replied,  in  language  more  nervous  and  cogent  than  some  would 
think  him  capable  of  using: 

"If  it  could  serve  any  good  purpose,  I  might  nay,  that  as  great  u  number 
of  divines,  as  old  or  elder  than  they,  and  as  famous  for  piety  and  learning, 
might  be  mentioned,  who  are  on  our  side  of  the  micstion.  And  we  might 
proceed  to  set  father  against  father,  and  try  who  shall  get  the  most  on  his 
side.  Hut  this  is  in  truth  nothing  to  the  purpose.  Tin*  opinion  of  the  most 
venerable  and  renowned  fathers  in  this  ease,  in  determining  what,  doctrines  are 
true,  and  what  are  not  so,  ought  not  to  have  the  least  weiyht.  And  it  is  fool 
ish,  and  even  carries  a  degree  of  impiety  in  it,  for  us,  who  have  the  Dibit;  in 
our  hands,  to  lay  tho  weight  of  a  straw  on  the  opinion  of  the  wisest  and  hest 
men  that  ever  lived.  I  am  sorry  to  have  any  occasion  to  make  this  observa 
tion  at  this  time  of  day,  iimotig  /Votar/tr/ifa.  It  is  very  weak  and  ridiculous, 
if  not  something  worse,  for  a  divine  to  attempt  to  support  or  confirm  any  (loo- 
trine  by  appealing  to  the  judgment  and  decision  of  any  man;  or  to  run  down 
and  reject  any  tenet  that  is  advanced,  merely  because  it  is  a  nrir  doctrine,  or 
embraced  by  few,  and  is  contrary  to  the  opinion  of  the  fathers,  and  what  has 
been  established  by  common  consent.  Since  people  in  general  are  too  apt  to 
be  influenced  by  this,  mid  it  is  common  for  everv  one  to  have  his  /'ullirr,  on 
whoso  sleeves  ho  niiH  his  faith  in  a  great  measure,  without  examining  for 
himself,  it  is  pity  they  should  be  upheld  and  confirmed  it)  it  by  public,  teach 
ers,  when  it  is  of  such  importance  that,  they  should  by  all  possible  means  bo 
beat  oil' from  this  sandy  foundation,  and  learn  to  judge  for  themselves  by  '  rea 
soning  out  of  the  Scriptures,'  and  'searching  them  daily,  to  see  if  these  things 
arc  no.' "  § 

*  Soo  p.  9  of  tho  Animadversion*. 

f  Hopkins'*  Work*,  vol.  iii.  p.  .1557. 

(  It  lias  U'cn  already  asxcrted,  (MM>  pp.  ?!),  30,  above,)  thai  our  author,  stntilc  (is  ho 
wax,  often  indulged  himself  in  ii  stylo  of  writing  too  ii!i<|u;»l!lied.  lie  trusted,  (hat  the 
good  senso  of  hi*  readers  would  su^est  nl  onco  tho  needed  liimlntion*. 

$  Hopkins'*  Two  Discourse*  on  Law  und  Regeneration,  Works,  vol.  iii.  pp.  501, 6G5. 


MEMOIR.  179 

Averse  as  Dr.  Clmnning  was  to  the  spirit  and  genius  of  Hopkin- 
sianifttn,  he  yet  never  accuses  Hopkins  himself  of  a  blind  adherence  to 
human  creeds,  of  u  slavish  and  bigoted  subjection  to  any  uninspired 
men.  He  rather  commends  the  Rhode  Island  patriarch  for  the  oppo 
site  virtues,  and  considers  them  as  exerting  an  influence  upon  his 
theological  system.  He  says,  in  language  needing  qualification: 

"His  [Honkins's]  name  is,  indeed,  associated  with  a  stern  and  appalling 
theology,  and  it  is  true  that  he  wanted  toleration  toward  those  who  rejected 
his  views.  Still,  in  forming  his  religious  opinions,  ho  wus  superior  to  human 
authority;  ho  hrokeaway  from  human  creeds;  he  interpreted  (iod'a  word  for 
himself;  he  revered  reason,  the  oracle  of  Clod  within  him." 

"...  From  such  a  man,  a  tajno  acquiescence  in  tho  established  theology 
was  not  to  be  expected.  lie,  indeed,  accepted  the  doctrine  of  predestination 
in  its  severest  form  ;  but  in  so  doing,  he  imagined  himself  a  disciple  of  reason 
as  well  as  of  revelation.  Ho  believed  this  doctrine  to  bo  sustained  by  pro 
found  metaphysical  argumentation,  and  to  rest  on  the  only  sound  philosophy 
of  the  human  mind;  so  that  in  receiving  it,  he  did  not  abandon  the  ground 
of  reason.  In  accordance  with  his  free  spirit  of  inmiiry,  we  find  him  making 
not  a  tew  important  modifications  of  Calvinism.  The  doctrine  that  we  are 
liable  to  punishment  for  the  sin  of  our  first  parent,  he  whollv  rejected  ;  and 
not  satisfied  with  denying  the  imputation  of  Adam's  guilt  to  fiis  posterity,  lie 
subverted  what  the  old  theology  had  set.  forth  as  the  only  foundation  of  divino 
acceptance;  namely,  the  imputation  of  Christ's  righteousness  or  merits  to  the 
believer.  Tho  doctrine  that  Christ  died  for  the  elect  only,  found  no  me  rev  at 
his  han-ds.  He  taught  that  Christ  Haflerod  «'<|tnlly  for  all  mankind.  1'ho 
system  of  Dr.  Hopkins  was,  indeed,  an  etlort  of  reason  to  reconcile  Calvinism 
with  its  essential  truths.  Accordingly,  his  disciples  were  sometimes  called, 
and  willingly  called,  Rational  Calvimsts.  The  impression  which  ho  made 
was  much  greater  than  is  now  supposed.  The  churches  of  New  Kngland 
received  a  decided  impression  from  his  views;  and  though  his  name  —  once 
given  to  his  followers  —  is  no  longer  homo,  his  influence  is  still  felt.  The 
conflict  now  going' on  in  our  country,  for  the  purpose  of  mitigating  the  harsh 
features  of  Calvinism,  w  a  stage  of  tho  revolutionary  movement  to  which  he, 
more  than  any  man,  gave  impulse1,  /crin  certainly  bear  witness  to -the  spirit 
of  progress  and  free  inquiry  which  possessed  him.  In  my  youth,  I  preached 
in  this  house  at.  the  request  of  the  venerable,  old  man.*  As  soon  as  the  ser 
vices  were  closed,  ho  turned  to  me  with  an  animated,  benignant,  smile,  and 
using  a  quaintnoss  of  expression  which  I  need  not  repeat,  said  to  me,  that 
theolojjy  was  still  imperfect,  and  that  ho  hoped  I  should  live  to  carry  it 
towards  perfection.  Rare  and  most  honorable  liberality  in  tin;  leader  of  a 
sect!  He  wanted  not  to  secure  a  follower,  but  to  impel  a  young  mind  to 
higher  truth.  I  feel  that  ability  has  not  been  given  me  to  accomplish  this 
generous  hope;  but  such  quickening  language  from  such  lips,  though  it 
could  not  give  strength,  might  kindle  desire  and  elevate  exertion."! 

The  quaint  expression  which  Dr.  Ohanning  did  not  repeat  in  the 
preceding  extract,  he  1ms  repeated  in  another  document.  It  is  an 
expression  illustrating  the  opinion  which  Hopkins,  as  well  as  Iit-1- 
Inmy  and  Kdwards,  entertained,  with  regard  to  what  the  younger 
Edwards  terms  •*  improvements  in  theology."  Dr.  dimming  writes 
of  Hopkins,  in  a  more  familiar  paper: 

•  Dr.  Clmnninp  wa»  ordained  at  Boston,  in  the  very  year  of  Hopkins'*  death 
f  Channing's  Works,  vol.  iv.  pp.  312,  3M,  514. 


180  MEMOIR. 

"  I  preached  for  him  once ;  and  after  the  service  in  thO  pulpit,  he  smiled  on 
mo,  and  snid,  *  The  hat  is  not  made  yet.'  On  my  asking  an  explanation,  ho 
told  me  that  I)r.  Hcllatny  used  to  spook  of  theology  aa  a  progressive  science, 
and  compare  the  different  stages  of  it  to  the  successive  processes  of  making 
a  hat.  The  heaver  was  to  ho  horn,  then  to  ho  killed,  ana  then  the  felt  to  be 
made,  d'c.  Having  thus  explained  the  similitude,  he  added,  'The  hut  is  not 
made,  and  I  hope  you  will  help  to  finish  it.'"  * 

It  has  been  said,  that  for  a  man  like  Hopkins  to  cherish  tho  love 
of  progress  in  a  youth  like  dimming,  is  of  dangerous  tendency,  Hut 
real  progress  will  always  lead  into  the  truth.  All  movement  toward 
error  is  retrograde,  and  where  the  allowance  of  independent  thought 
has  made  one  Unitarian,  tho  repression  of  it  has  made  ten  infidels. 
Attempts  to  fetter  the  human  mind  have  maddened  it,  until  it  lias  burst 
through  all  restraint  into  Hccptieism  or  atheism.  ('banning  was  a 
youth  of  meditative  and  even  ascetic  habits.  He  admired  Hopkins, 
but  be  cherished  a  still  higher  reverence  for  Stiles.  There  is  no 
more  evidence  of  las  having  been  led  into  Soeinianism  by  the  inde 
pendence  of  Hopkins,  Ins  neighbor,  than  by  the  eminent  Catholicism 
of  Stiles,  bis  former  pa>tor ;  nor  can  be  be  more  justly  paid  to  have 
been  repulsed  into  Unlturianism  by  the  stern  features  of  Hopkins's  ncio 
divinity,  than  by  the  rigid  expression  of  Stiles's  old  divinity.  If  the 
charge  bad  not  been  so  often  repeated,  we  should  not  deign  to  notice 
it;  but  if  it  be  honorable  to  ascribe  the  career  of  Clmnning  to  tho 
fact  of  bis  having  been  trained  amid  Hopkinsian  influences,  it  would 
be  equally  honorable  to  ascribe  the  career  of  Huckminster  to  the  fact 
of  bis  having  been  trained  under  Culvinistic  and  anti-Hopkinsian  in 
fluences.  All  such  charges  are  idle,  unless  they  be  proved. 

It  is  not  wonderful,  that  so  dauntless  an  inquirer  as  Hopkins  tdiould 
have  awakened  the  fears  of  less  manly  thinkers.  His  antagonist, 
Mills,  who  reprimanded  him  for  so  many  things,  once  expressed  the 
grief  of  "  many  worthy  fathers  in  the  ministry,  whose  praise  is  in 
the  gospel  through  the  churches,  and  who  are  not  so  'far  superan 
nuated,  but  that,  with  good  old  Kli,  they  trr mbfe  for  fear  of  the  ark, 
when  they  see  it  in  danger  of  a  wrong  touch  from  the  vigor  and 
sprigbtliness  of  younger  years."  In  our  times  it  is  unusual  to  cbar- 
actcri/e  Hopkins  as  a  sprightly  author,  but  be  replied  to  this  repri 
mand  of  Mr.  Mills  witb  u  Hopkinsian  vigor  :  '•  Who  these  worthy, 
aged,  trembling  fathers  arc,"  be  remarks,  «4  1  know  not,  and  have  no 
inclination  to  detract  from  their  praise.  Hut  I  think  1  have  a  right 
to  say,  they  fear  irhe.rc  no  fear  is;  and  if  they  tremble,  and  handle  tho 
ark  as  Mr.  Mills  has  done,  no  thanks  are  due  to  them,  that  it  has 
not  been  completely  overset  long  ago."  t 

But  while  our  author  was  a  champion  for  untrammelled  thought, 
bo  was  peculiarly  deferential  to  the  decisions  of  the  inspired  word. 

•  Letter  of  February  M,  HMO.  t  Hopkins'*  Works,  vol.  iii.  p.  417. 


MEMOIR.  181 

Independent  us  ho  was,  he  aimed  to  sink  all  human  metaphysics  be 
neath  the  Scriptures ;  to  have  no  other  than  a  biblical  philosophy. 
lie  went  beyond  the  divines  of  his  day,  in  deriving  his  science  from 
the  sacred  volume.  His  doctrines  will  be  misunderstood  by  men 
who  do  not  appreciate  his  marked  reverence  for  the  letter,  as  well  as 
the  spirit  of  the  Bible. 

There  are  different  opinions  on  the  question,  whether  n  system  of 
divinity  should  be  expressed  in  the  language  of  the  inspired  penmen, 
or  whether  it  should  exhibit  the  biblical  ideas  in  a  more  modern  and 
occidental  form.  Hut  whatever  may  be  our  own  mode  of  answering 
this  question,  we  must  admire  the  masculine  genius  of  him  who  com 
bines  tho  greatest  freedom  of  inquiry,  and  the  purest  love  of  rational 
investigation,  with  an  humble  deference  to  the  meaning  and  also  to 
tho  phraseology  of  the  sacred  writers.  Even  if  men  disapprove  of 
his  judgment,  they  must  commend  tho  reverential  spirit  which  led 
our  author  to  adopt  the  phrases,  as  well  as  the  ideas,  which  he 
deemed  to  be  scriptural.  He  exposed  himself  to  much  obloquy,  by 
adhering  to  the  forms  of  utterance  which  he  found  in  the  bold  ap 
peals  of  inspired  men.  He  felt  himself  justified  in  asserting,  because 
the  Hible  asserts,  that  "  the  Lord  hardened  the  heart  of  Pharaoh," 
"and  the  heart  of  his  servants,"  and  "moved  David  to  say,  (Jo, 
number  Israel;"  and  he  "put  a  lying  spirit  in  the  mouth  of"  the 
prophets,  and  "  hath  poured  out  upon  men  the  spirit  of  a  deep  sleep," 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.  Ho  might  have  avoided  many  censures,  if  he  had 
couched  his  ideas  in  other  phrases.  Hut  no.  "  The  Hible  says  it, 
—  therefore  I  say  it,"  was  the  ceaseless  language  of  his  heart.  He 
would  yield  to  no  objections  against  the  words  of  holy  men,  who 
spoke  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  (I host.  Did  Samuel  HOJH 
kins  aim  to  exalt  his  logic  above  inspiration  1  It  is  not  too  much 
to  uttirm,  that  no  divines  before  his  day  could  express  their  faith  in 
the  precise  words  of  the  Hible,  so  thoroughly  and  minutely  as  he. 
This  gave  to  his  system  its  excellence,  in  his  own  lowly  view. 
Throughout  his  Journal  we  are  every  where  meeting  such  nervous 
comments  as  the  following,  from  this  admirer  of  a  biblical  creed: 

•••And  whom  he  will,  he  hurdeneth.'  Saint  Paul  here  hos  refer 
ence  to  (JodV  hardening  tho  heart  of  Pharaoh,  and  does  not  soften 
the  expressions  used  respecting  the  hardening  his  heart,  in  the  least. 
The  softeners  of  our  day  would  not  speak  so.  They  would  say, 
•  Whom  he  will,  he  permits  or  suflers  to  harden  themselves.'  Wo 
may  hence  infer,  that  they  do  not  think  and  feel  respecting  this 
matter  as  Paul  did."  See  also  Hopkins**  Works,  vol.  i.  pp.  111- 
130,  now  edition. 

The  modesty  of  our  divine  had  an  obvious  cflect  upon  his  theo 
logical  speculations.     He  cherished  a  native   lowliness,   which  wu§ 
P 


182  MEMOIR. 

t 

beautified  by  tlivino  grncolinto  a  Christian  humility.  Ilia  Journal, 
already  quoted,  discloses  the  depth  of  his  pcnitOnce.  Tliis  hum-bio- 
ness  of  mind  guvo  both  impulse  and  guidance  to  his  love  of  progress. 
Feeling  that  he  knew  but  little,  ho  longed  to  know  more.  He  was 
not  nslmmed  to  learn.  He  remembered,  that  tlio  temple  of  sacred 
ncience  is  entered  by  those  only  who  ho\v  low  at  its  portals.  His 
8elf-ulmsement  was  the  secret  of  hi*  success.  It  regulated  bin  indc- 
pendenco  of  mind.  It  led  him  to  revere  the  authors  whom  he  would 
not  adore.  Few  men  have  cherished  a  dee|>er  veneration  than  he 
for  Calvin  and  the  reformed  divines.  This  veneration  prompted 
him  to  examine  their  writings  with  rare  diligence.  He  did  not  love 
to  difler  from  them.  He  never  aspired  to  be  the  leader  of  a  sect. 
Ho  did  not  vaunt  over  his  discoveries,  but  was  pleased  whenever  he 
ascertained  that  they  had  been  anticipated  by  other  writers.  His 
humble  claim  was,  that  from  the  contradictory  statements  of  Cul- 
vinistic  standards,  he  had  collated  those  which  were  consistent  with 
each  other,  and  had  reduced  them  to  a  scheme,  every  part  of  which 
had  by  itself  been  explicitly  or  implicitly  sanctioned  by  some  Cal- 
viuist,  but  til-;  whole  of  which  had  heen  consistently  defended  by 
no  one.  In  his  eightieth  year,  he  addressed  the  following  lowly  reply 
to  an  epistle  from  Mr.  IMi-ller,  and  disclosed  in  it  how  little  he  hud 
been  influenced  in  his  speculations  by  u  desire  for  notoriety,  or  any 
censurable  lovo  of  novelty. 

"  Newport,  January  JEl,  1HOI.  Reverend  Sir:  Yours  of  December  Hi  came 
to  hand  on  the  twelfth  instant.  The  most  proper  and  satisfactory  answer  to 
your  questions,  perhaps,  will  ho,  to  refer  you  to  my  pumientions;  the  first  of 
which  wus  printed  neur  Imlf  a  century  njjo.  You  aiuy,  in  them,  HPO  what  doc 
trines  I  hold,  and  ho  uhlo  tojudgo  wherein  and  how  In r  I  diller  from  those  Cal- 
viaistic  divines  who  have  written  before  me.  I  believe  that  most  of  the  doc 
trines,  if  not  all,  1  have  published,  are  to  be  found  in  the  writings  of  former 
divines;  vi/..,  Calvin,  Van  Mastrieht,  Snurin,  Boston,  Maaton,  (ioodwin,  Ow 
en,  Hates,  Baxter,  I'lwrnock,  the  Assembly  of  Divines  at  Westminster,  Wil- 
lard,  Ridley,  Shepard,  Hooker,  &c.  These  indeed  did  not  fully  explain 
Home  of  llio.se  doctrines,  which  are  asserted  or  implied  in  their  writings  ;  and 
many,  if  not  most  of  them,  are  in  some- instances  inconsistent  with  themselves, 
by  advancing  contrary  doctrines. 

"  If  I  am  in  any  measure  an  original  in  any  thin^  I  h»vo  written,  it  is  in  as- 
pcrtiag,  tint  the  uaregenerate,  under  the  greatest  convictions,  and  in  all  their 
external  reformations  and  doings,  are  more  criminal  and  guilty  than  they  were 
in  a  state  of  security,  and  really  do  no  duty;  (all  their  moral  actions  are  sin; 
this  is  necessarily  implied  in  tlio  doctrine  of  totttl  tttprttVity,  which  all  Oalvin- 
ists  hold  ;)  and  that  all  true  holiness  consists  in  disinterested  benevolence,  and 
those  affections  which  are  implied  ia  it;  and  that  all  that  self-love  which  is 
not  implied  in  disinterested  benevolence,  is  sinful,  and  that  in  which  all  sin 
essentially  and  radically  consists;  that  tlio  original  threatening, 'Thou  shall 
surely  die,'  does  not  mean  or  imply  a  separation  between  soul  and  body,  but 
the  destruction  and  misery  of  soul  and  body  in  hell  forever,  which  is  in  Scrip 
ture  called  (he  second  death,  which  the  finally  impenitent  will  suffer. 

"Hut  it  is  roully  no  great  matter  who  first  advanced  a  doctrine;  if  it  bo 
lo  to  Scripture,  it  ought  to  bo  received ;  if  nut,  1ft  it  bo  rejected. 


MEMOIR.  183 

"No  ichemo  of  doctrines  han  got  the  name  of  Hopkinlonian  by  my 
consent  or  invention,  or  desire  of  any  of  my  friend*.  Thin  was  tho  invenlion 
of  tho  late  Rev.  William  Hart,  of  Saybroolc,  who  published  Bomo  remarks  on 
what  Mr.  KdwardM,  Dr.  Bellamy,  and  I  had  written,  to  which  I  replied,  and 
tho  controversy  perhaps  was  too  personal.  Ho  was,  to  bo  sure,  irritated ;  and 
wrote  a  pamphlet  in  which  ho  mentioned  a  number  of  doctrines  as  mine,  and 
not  them  in  as  bad  a  light  as  ho  could,  by  way  of  reproach ;  arid  to  fasten  an 
odium  uj>on  me  and  them,  ho  gave  them  the  name  of  Ifopkintvnian  doctrines. 
Thin  epithet  hns  been  since  used  both  by  friends  and  enemies.  Tho  latter 
and  many  others  have,  in  many  iastances,  used  the  term  as  carrying  an  odium 
with  it,  while  they  do  not  know  what  are  the  doctrines  implied  in  it.  —  I  am 
your  friend  and  servant,  S.  II." 


This  letter  modestly  reconciles  tho  contradictions  which  have  so 
often  been  imputed  to  tho  Newport  divine.  "  Ho  claimed  to  he  u 
disciple  of  Calvin,"  it  is  said,  "  and  yet  Hpent  much  of  hi.s  life  in 
contending  against  the  Cnlvinists.  Ho  pretended  to  have  made  im 
provement:*  in  theology,  and  yet  avows  that  all  his  improvements 
were  known  before  lu'j  day.  The  name  system,  and  yet  an  amended 
system  !  How  can  n  man  make  advances,  and  still  keep  pace  with 
those  whom  \w  lias  outrun  ?  "  It  is  very  true  that  our  modest  divine 
regarded  his  theological  scheme  as  consistent  Calvinism,  and  yet  as 
diiVering  somewhat  in  its  proportions,  and  in  its  sequences,  from  tlm 
prevalent  Calvinism  of  the  schools.  It  excluded  some  parts,  which 
were  repellent  to  other  parts  of  the  prevailing  system.  It  carried 
the  (icncvun  principles  to  their  logical  results.  Hopkins  was  origi 
nal  in  his  combinations  of  old  ideas.  He  used  established  truths  in 
a  new  way.  Here  and  there,  this  writer  and  that  writer  had  sug 
gested  all  which  Hopkins  taught ;  but  he  united  their  suggestions  into 
a  system  which  was  new  in  its  harmonies  and  completeness.  It  were 
easy  to  corroborate  nil  of  our  author's  peculiar  doctrines,  by  quota 
tions  from  the  Reformed  divines.  He  was  wont  to  make  these 
references  in  his  own  defence.  His  originality,  then,  lay  in  his 
eclecticism  and  in  his  logical  inferences.  Ho  chose  to  regard  Ho|>- 
kinsianism  as  a  statue  found  in  au  ancient  block  of  marble.  His  own 
estimate  of  tho  relation  between  his  conclusions  and  the  premises 
which  he  had  learned  from  Calvin,  was  expressed  by  his  energetic 
pupil,  Samuel  Spring,  in  words  which  the  "  Hopkinsinn  Culvinists" 
have  loved  to  quote:  •'  It  is  evident,"  says  Dr.  Spring,  "  that  Hoj>- 
kinsiau  sentiments  are  only  the  genuine,  flourishing,  and  fruitful 
branches  of  the  Cnlvinistic  tree.  For  we  plead  that  there  is  no  duty 
in  the  actions  of  sinners,  because  they  are  totally  depraved.  As  total 
depravity,  therefore,  is  the  great  pillar  in  the  Calvinistic  theory, 
there  is  no  more  dillcronco  between  Cnlvinists  and  Hopkinsiaus,  than 
there  is  between  a  tree  and  its  branches,  or  between  firft  principles 
and  consequences.  The  broad  foundation  which  supports  our  ample 
superstructure,  was  long  since  deeply  and  most  firmly  laid  in  the  first 
principles  of  Calvinism.  To  support  my  theory,  I  need  no  first 


184        \  MEMOIR. 

principle/,  except  those  which  Calvinisls  have  adopted  and  improved 

against  Pelagians  and  Arminians."  * 

Our  author's  confidence  in  tlio  extent  of  divine  truth  influenced 
his  theological  inquiries.  If  all  his  writings  had  perished,  the  fruits 
of  this  confidence  would  still  remain.  It  waked  up  the  energies  of 
men  who  "were  giants  in  those  days."  The  great  success  of  IIoj>- 
kins  was  in  the-  spirit,  more  than  in  the  letter  of  hi*  teachings.  His 
•  mind  was  fixed  on  (MM!,  and  he  did  not  helieve  it  possible  for  any 
single  generation  to  exhaust  the  science  of  the  Infinite  One.  H<; 
looked  with  fur  deeper  reverence  upon  the  lx>undlef»*ness  of  (Jod's 
truth,  than  upon  the  faithfulness  of  scholars  in  their  past  explorations 
of  it.  "  Men  are  a  long  time  finding  out,"  he  says  in  his  Journal, 
•*  wiiiit  is  in  the  natural  world.  This  volume  of  science  has  been 
open  to  men  in  all  ages.  Hut  new  things  are  found  out  and  seen  in 
one  njjo  after  another,  which  before  lay  hid,  not  discerned.  And 
there  is  reason  to  think,  there  will  be  yet  greater  discoveries  of  things 
contained  in  this  volume  of  nature,  by  the  search  and  experience  of  in 
quisitive  men,  which  have  never  yet  been  thought  of.  And  why  may 
not  this  be  equally  true  of  the  volume  of  the  moral  world,  the  volume 
of  divine  revelation  ?  Many  things,  many  truths,  may  ho  contained 
in  it,  which  have  not  yet  been  discovered  ;  but  remain  to  be  found 
out  by  inquisitive  men,  who  will  rise  hereafter." 

Such  hopeful  passages  enliven  both  his  letters  and  his  diary.     The 
spirit  of  them  prompted  his  own  mind,  and  the  minds  of  his  pupils, 
to   nn   uiiremitted   study  of  the   divine   perfections.      He   favored   all 
possible   modes   of  penetrating   into   the    truth;   find  his  school  have 
alwavs  been  noted  for  sharp  and  severe  investigation.      He  has  been 
/ondemned  for  his  metaphysics;  and  yet  few  divines  have  done  more 
Than  he,  in  destroying  the  credit  of  that  fal.so  metaphysics  which  has 
loaded  the  faith  of  men  with  cumbrous  inventions.      He  believed  that 
metaphysical    science    is    susceptible    of   expansion.       He    has    been 
censured    for  exciting  a  love;   of  theological   inquiry.     The    investi 
gating  habit   does   not    result   in   unmingled  good.      Hut  in   the   end, 
(ruth  is   better  learned   and   more  deeply  felt,  where  the  curiosity   is 
ejierished,  than  where  it  is  repressed.     There  was  far  more  of  sound 
orthodoxy  in    New    I-'ngland  when    Hopkins   clo>ed   his   lal>ors,  tl.au 
when  he  bt'irau    them.      The    history  of  the    future  will    ri-cord,   that 
he    has   raided    the    tone    of  religion*  d'x-trinc  throughout   the   land. 
He  has  done  this,  not  so  much  by  his  rhetoric  or  bis  logic,  as  by  his 
spirit  of  hopeful  study.      This  spirit  lias  incited  men  to  investigation. 
This   investigation    has  led   men   into  the  truth.      The  boundaries  of 
truth   are  enlarged    by   the   lit   indulgence    of  an   inquisitive   temjKT. 

•  Soo  Spring's  I)iM|iii*iti<>in,  pp.  14, -l.r>,  scroml  rdiiioii.  So«  iho  .iiiinc  pn«.*n£0  quot- 
tx!  with  iipproliiitiiui  l>\  Illiniums  in  hit  paper  on  llopkiminnmn,  pihlinhud  in  Miss  Han 
nah  Ailiims1!*  View  ol'  Kdigions,  p.  I.tO,  lliinl  i-tlition. 


MEMOIR.  185 

The  inquisitivcncss  of  Hopkins  was  proverbial.  Had  it  bw»  less 
eager,  there  would  have  been,  during  his  life,  less  complaint  of  his 
novel  speculations,  but  more  distrust  of  the  Bible,  a  narrower  view 
of  its  teachings.  Infidelity  is  the  ultimate  result  of  checking  the 
desire  for  expanded  knowledge.  ««  There  is  nothing,"  says  Dr.  Ar 
nold,  ««  HO  revolutionary,  because  there  is  nothing  so  unnatural  and 
HO  convulsive  to  society,  as  the  strain  to  keep  things  fixed,  when  all 
the  world  is,  by  the  very  law  of  its  creation,  in  eternal  progress; 
and  the  cause  of  all  the  evils  of  the  world  may  be  traced  to  that 
natural  but  most  deadly  error  of  human  indolence  and  corruption, 
that  our  business  is  to  preserve  ami  not  to  improve.  It  is  the  ruin 
of  us  all  alike,  individuals,  schools,  and  nations."  * 

Our  author's  comprehensiveness  of  mind  gave  a  peculiar  character 
to    his    theological    system.      That    capacious    frontal    development 
which  marked  his  figure,  indicated  the  type  of  his  theology.     As  his 
personal  qualities,  his  sternness  and  mildness  for  instance,  have  been 
thought  to  be  incompatible  with  each  other,  so  his  creed,  because  so 
comprehensive,  has  been  deemed  self-contradictory.     His  great  aim, 
however,  was  to  form  a  self-consistent  scheme.      He  disliked  hetero 
geneous  and  fragmentary  thoughts.     Dr.  Ashbel  Green  says  of  him  :  t 
41  He  is  certainly  u  man  of  a  subtle  and  discriminating  mind.     He  is 
indeed  more  calculated  for  minute  inquiries,  than  for  comprehensive 
views.      His  mental  optics  seemed  [seem  ?]  formed  to  see  small  objects 
distinctly,  but  arc  unable  to  survey  large  ones.      He  sees  parts,  but  not 
the  whole.      Mis  love  of  distinguishing  sometimes  lends  him  to  make 
distinctions  where  there  are  no  differences.      He  separates,  in  rea 
soning,  things  which  are  never  separated  in  fact."     This  portraiture 
of  Dr.  Hopkins  is  exactly  the  reverse  of  the  truth.     He  was  less 
remarkable  for  ncutrncxs   than  for  comprehensiveness  of  intellect. 
His   annlvsis   wax  less  accurate  than  his  generalization  was  exten 
sive.      His  mind  loved  to  expatiate  on  the  vast  and  illimitable.      His 
theology  is,  what  it  ought  to  be,  the  science  of  the  great  (iod;  —  the 
decrees,  the  sovereignty,  the  universal  government  of  God, — above 
all,  the  infinite  love  of  (iod  in  Christ.      Wo  take  up  his  volumes  with 
awe,  for  we  know  that  they  will   present  thoughts  of  va>t  compass. 
They  will   develop  the  religious  sentiment  which   loves   to   enthrone 
Jehovah,  and  abase  the  creature.      Hut  with  all   hi*  fondneM  for  ex 
alting  the  claims  of  (iod,  our  comprehensive  ditine  unites  an  amiable 
desire  to  maintain  the  free  agency  of  man.      He  brings  together,  in 
one  extensive  scheme,  the  fixed  certainty  of  all  events,  and  such  u 
liberty  of  the  human  will  as  leads  him  often  to  xay,  that  sinners  "  are 
under  no  inability,  but  what  consists  in  their  inexcusable,  voluntary 

•  I.ifo  nml  Cormpondcnco  of  Tbomai  Arnold,  D.  D.,  p.  175,  fint  Am.  ed. 
f  Memoir,  p.  2JO. 

P* 


186  MEMOIR. 

wickedness ;  "  and  that  the  unrcgoncrntc  sinner  «» is  under  no  kind 
of  inability  or  difficulty  tlmt  is  in  the  way  of  his  turning  to  God  im- 
mediately,  which  the  open  profligate  is  not  under,  us  a  bar  in  the 
way  of  his  reforming  his  wicked  conduct  immediately."*,  Our 
author's  theology  was  offensive  to  unroncwccl  men,  because  it  held 
before  them  the  sovereign  dominion  of  the  Creator  on  the  one  hand, 
and  the  doe-trine  of  our  natural  ability  on  the  other.  The- combi 
nation  of  these  two  truths  has  a  rare  power  over  the  heart.  Men 
dislike  to  hear,  that  the  only  reason  why  they  do  not  submit  to  the 
sovereignty  of  Jehovah  is,  their  own  vile  choice.  They  love  to  hear, 
that  they  are  naturally  unable  to  do  what  the  law  is  said  to  require. 
This  is  a  pillow  for  their  sweetest  sleep.  Hopkins  irritated  them  by 
taking  the  pillow  away.  "  For,"  he  says  in  his  decisive  style,  "this 
doctrine  of  man's  inability,  as  consisting  in  some  difficulty  in  the  way 
of  holiness,  which  is  independent  of  the  will,  and  for  which  they  are 
not  wholly  to  blame,  is  as  agreeable. to  the  corrupt  heart  of  man,  as 
any  Arminian  or  Pelagian  doctrine  whatsoever  can  be.  How  many 
of  those  who  are  called  Calvinists  have  fled  to  this  refuge  of  lies,  and 
hero  are  like  to  perish,  (iod  knows  !"  t  And  because  our  author 
was  wont  to  speak  thus,  is  he  to  be  called  an  Arminian  or  a  IVla* 
gian  ?  One  great  use  of  his  writings  is,  to  show,  that  the  doctrine 
of  man's  entire  freedom  may  be  combined  with  that  of  his  entire  and 
certain  sinfulncss.  The  man  who  reject*  either  of  these  truths, 
merely  for  the  sake  of  holding  the  other,  is  contracted,  one-sided. 
It  is  because  Hopkins  was  large-minded  and  large-hearted,  that  he 
held  together  what  less  capacious  minds  are  tempted  to  put  asunder. 
He  asserted  in  the  boldest  terms,  that  (Jod  is  the  original  Cause 
producing  the  certainty  of  sin;  but  he  combined  this  assertion  with 
miother,  that  man  is  under  no  natural  inability  to  be  holy.  He  did 
not  teach,  that  (iod  produces  wickedness  in  any  such  sense  as  im 
plies  that  men  are  forced  or  compelled  to  be  wicked  ;  nor  did  he 
teach  that  men  have  natural  power  to  be  holy,  in  any  such  sense  as 
implies  that  their  sin  is  not  made  eertain  by  the  providence  of  (Iod. 
We  may  not  think  that  all  his  language  and  illustrations  are  wisely 
chosen  for  a  scientific  treatise,}  but  the-  wbttuncr.  of  hi*  teachings  on 
these  themes  is  neither  more  nor  less  than  this:  (Jod  so  makes  and 
preserves,  and  circumstances  men,  that  the  unregen^rnto  do  uni 
formly  and  certainly  sin;  their  sin  is  made  certain  by  the  efliciency  of 
Him  who  predestinated  their  whole  moral  course  j"^  but  yet  they  are 

•  Ilopkins's  Works,  vol.  iii.  p."  1%. 

f  Ih.  p.  ~W. —  A  fundamental  idea  of  our  author's  system  is,  licit  all  our  inability  to 
obey  lh«  law  is  ilself  wickedne-s,  nml  not  llie  mere  occasion  of  wickedness.  Sco,  for 
ouo  cxpreanion  of  it,  II'IH  System,  vol.  i.  pp.  ~^>,  MJ,  510. 

$  Seo  pp.  2'.),  30,  of  this  .Memoir. 

$  Hopkins  nssrru  uiK.1  prove-*,  oih-n,  lliat  his  theory  of  (ho  divino  n^rnry  in  kin  ii  tho 
tamo  which  in  tun-la  l>y  tliu  We»tmiuiler  Aisembly  j  sec  Hopkins'*  Works,  now  edi 
tion,  vol.  i.  pp.  100-110. 


MEMOIR.  187 

ns  free  as  moral  agents  cim  bo ;  their  inability  is  the  certainty  of 
their  sin,  and  their  certain  sin  is  their  free  choice.  One  of  these 
doctrines  explains  tho  other.  One  of  them  prevents  fatalism ;  the 
other  excludes  a  "  liberty  of  indifference  "  which  is  uncontrollable  by 
the  Deity.  In  their  reciprocal  bearings  upon  each  other,  both  of 
those  doctrines  combined  make  out  tho  truth  to  which  our  compre 
hensive  theologian  devoted  a  large  part  of  his  life.  Future  genera 
tions  will  honor  him,  for  having  so  asserted  our  natural  power  to  do 
our  duly,  as  to  render  it  preposterous  for  men  to  brand  this  dogma 
with  Peluginnism,  His  rare  merit  is,  that  ho  has  defended  not  one 
truth  alone,  but  many  truths;  and  has  proved  that  the  divine  and 
human  action  arc  harmoniously  blended.  JFo  stands  out  as  a  prom 
ontory  in  the  sea,  around  which  and  against  which  tho  waves  of 
theological  misrepresentation  break  and  foam  without  avail.  If  the 
assertion  of  man's  ability  commensurate  with  his  duty,  be  Pclagi- 
nnism,  then  Hopkins  was  a  Pelagian,  —  and  the  very  sound  of  this 
last  clause  refutes  it.  If  the  assertion  that  God  causes  tho  certainty 
of  all  acts,  he  fatalism,  then  fatalism  is  consistent  with  the  doctrine 
so  often  avowed  by  Hopkins,  that  "  the  creature  acts  as  freely  as  if 
there, were  no  agent  concerned  but  himself,  and  his  exercises  are  as 
virtuous  and  holy,  and  it  is  as  really  and  as  much  his  own  virtue  and 
holiness,  and  he  is  as  excellent  and  praiseworthy,  as  if  he  did  not 
depend  on  divine  influences  for  these  exercises,  and  they  were  not 
the  effect  of  the  operation  of  God."* 


SKCT.  XLIV.    WRITINGS  OF  HOPKINS. 

11 1  have  thrown  together  these  recollections  of  n  man,  who  has 
been  crowded  out  of  men's  minds  by  the  thronging  events  and  in 
terests  of  our  time,  but  who  must  always  fill  an  important  place  in 
our  ecclesiastical  history."  So  writes  one  t  who  had  a  decided  aver 
sion  to  the  creed  of  Hopkins,  but  knew  the  historical  value  of  his 
writings.  Had  they  no  other  merit,  they  would  deserve  to  be 
studied  for  the  instruction  which  they  impart  with  regard  to  our 
Dogmatic  History.  No  man  can  rightly  appreciate;  the  theology  of 
New  I'nglund,  either  in  its  progress  or  in  its  present  condition,  with 
out  understanding  the  works  of  this  veteran  divine.  That  these 
works  are  free  from  every  mistake,  the  most  /ealous  admirer  of 
them  will  not  pretend.  They  combine,  however,  in  a  more  than  usual 
degree,  the  vigor  of  a  theological  pioneer,  with  the  accuracy  of  n 
critical  philosopher.  They  could  not  have  accomplished  their  pre 
destined  good,  unless  they  had  been  strong,  positive,  aggressive;  and 

•  Work*,  new  edition,  vol.  i.  p.  139. 

t  Dr.  Chaiiuing,  in  hi*  Worki,  vol.  iv.  p.  35*. 


188  MEMOIR. 

if  they  have  these  excellences,  can  wo  expect  them  to  powers  nlso 
the  gentle  and  mellowed  character  of  treatises  composed  in  pacific 
times !  They  hroke  up  tho  green-sward.  They  levelled  the  uneven 
places.  They  encountered  a  rough  opposition.  They  subdued  many 
nn  ohstacle.  It  were  strange  if,  in  this  stern  contest  with  difficulties, 
they  had  preserved  themselves  immaculate.  Equally  strange  were 
it,  if  they  hud  not  exerted  so  much  influence  over  our  New  England 
theology,  as  to  heroine  a  part  of  our  theological  history.  In  this 
respect,  they  will  always  retain  nn  interest  for  one  who  aims  to  ho 
an  accomplished  divine.  It  is  important,  then,  fur  the  historian,  as 
well  as  tho  theologian,  to  know  th(^  r i re u instance.1*  in  which  our 
author  performed  hi.s  theological  lahors.  Therefore,  let  us  now 
glance  at  the  character,  ohject,  and  influence,  of  his  various  writings. 

A.    Discourses  on  <SV;i. 

Wo  have  already  seen,*  that  about  the  time  of  President  Ed- 
wards's  dismissal  from  Stockbridge,  Hopkins  wax  engaged  in  a 
singular  controversy  with  a  parishioner  at  (ireut  Harrington,  in  re 
gard  to  the  divine  purposes  respecting  sin.  In  a  twelvemontlr  after 
the  close  of  that  dispute,  and  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  our 
author  published  a  pamphlet  of  eighty  pages,  entitled  : 

"Sin,  through  Divine  Interposition,  nn  Advantage  to  tho  Universe,  nnd 
yet  this  no  Excuse  for  Sin  or  Knconrngctnent  to  it ;  Illustrated  and  Proved* 

and  ( I  oil's  Wisdom  nnd  Holiness  in  the  Permission  of  Sin,  niul  tlmt  his  Will 
herein  is  tho  same  with  his  Revealed  Will,  Shown  nnd  Confirmed:  in  Three 
Sermons,  from  Horn.  iii.  ,r>,  <!,  7,  H.  lly  Samuel  Hopkins,  A.  M>,  a  Minister 
of  the  (lospel  at  Sheffield,  17,r><>." 

These  Three  Sermons  were  reprinted  at  Boston,  in  l"7'l,  «*  by  J. 
Kneelmul,  next  to  tho  Treasurer's  OlViee  in  Milk  Street."  They 
were  also  rcpuhlished,  about  thc'snmo  time,  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland. 
The  title  of  the  sermons  was,  as  their  author  narrates  in  171HJ,  •'.  so 
shocking  to  many,  that  they  would  read  no  farther.  And  many  who 
rend  the  sermons,  were  far  from  falling  in  with  the  sentiment  ad 
vanced.  Hut  few  had  studied  the  point,  and  it  was  a  now  doctrine 
to  many.  Yet  no  one  undertook  publicly  to  confute  it.  And  many 
who  read  thn  sermons  were  convinced  of  the  truth  exhibited  in  them; 
and  thought  the  reasoning  from  Scripture  to  he  unanswerable,  nnd 
the  sentiments  which  were  advanced  to  bo  important  nnd  useful. 
And  this  conviction  has  been  spreading  from  that  time  to  this  ;  and 
the  most  who  are  serious  and  attentive,  whether  ministers  or  others, 
approve  of  this  publication,  so  far  as  I  can  judge.  And  light  on  this 
subject  ban  been,  nnd  still  is  increasing."  t 

These  sermons  are  of  some  historical  importance.      They  show, 

•  On  pp.  G8,  G(.>,  of  this  Memoir.  1  Skeletal,  p.  93. 


MEMOIR,  189 

• 

in  the  first  place,  that  the  sentiments  of  Dr.  Hopkins  wore  suggested 
by  his  religious  feelings.  One  of  his  young  children  was  very  sick, 
and  \vns  not  expected  to  live  more  than  a  few  hours.  He  had  pro 
vided  a  faithful  and  trustworthy  nurse  for  it ;  physicians  had  exhausted 
their  skill  upon  it ;  and  at  night,  when  the  father  could  do  no  more, 
ho  retired  to  his  study,  and  consoled  himself  with  the  thought,  that 
all  the  evils  of  the  world  would  ho  overruled  for  good.  Rather 
than  look  on  the  suffering  child,  and  pour  out  his  unavailing  regrets, 
ho  chose  to  meditate  on  the  holy  purpose  of  God,  in  exposing  chil 
dren  and  adults  to  MU  and  pain.  These  meditation*  he  afterwards 
incorporated  into  the  three  discourses,  hy  which  ho  first  attracted 
the  puhlic  attention  to  himself  as  a  theological  author.  lie  wrote, 
not  under  the  influence  of  a  merely  metaphysical  theory,  hut  from 
the  impulses  of  a  heart  panting  for  solace  from  the  ulllictions  which 
result  from  sin. 

In  the  second  place,  these  discourses  prove,  that  the  first  oppo 
sition  which  Hopkins,  ns  an  author,  encountered  from  his  brethren, 
arose  from  the  CahnniBtic  features  of  his  theology.  He  advanced 
nothing  peculiarly  severe  on  the  doctrine  of  sin  overruled  for  good. 
The  Calvinistic  standards  abound  with  expressions  far  more  unpopu 
lar,  than  tho.se  contained  in  these  sermons.  Hopkins  was  not  dis- 
tiiigui.shed  from  Edwards  and  Bellamy  in  the  censures  which  were 
heaped  upon  him  ;  but  the  well-known  triumvirate  were  universally 
regarded  as  contending  for  the  same  doctrine  on  this,  as  on  other 
topics.  u  So  much  of  late,"  said  un  ingenious  author  of  that  day, 
«*  has  been  written  to  persuade  us  that  the  existence  of  all  the  wick 
edness  of  men  and  devils  is  agreeable  to  Clod's  will,  necessary  to  his 
glory,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  universe,  that  I  found,  by  reading 

Hieh  [writers]  as  K s,  II s,  1J y,  and  I  know  not  whom, 

my  abhorrence  of  sin  did  much  abate,  and  a  more  favorable  idea  of 
vice  grew  up  insensibly  in  my  mind ;  as  he  who  often  converses 
with  atheists  and  swearers,  will  find  his  horror  and  detestation  of 
their  language  daily  lessen.  Yet  my  scruples  are  not  quite  gone  ; 
but  1  find  a  strong  suspicion  that  all  they  can. say  to  beget  in  me  a 
good  opinion  of  nn,  is  a  mere  device  of  the  father  of  lies."*  This 

*  Sec  pp.  2.r),  2t»,  of  "  A  Preservative  ngninst  tho  Doctrine  of  Fate,"  iu  opposition  to 
r.ilwnnU  on  tho  Will,  lloston,  1770. 

In  u  letter  to  Dr.  llellnmy,  dated  July  !£l,  17lV7,  Hopkins  says :  "  Mr.  Donn,  of 

Wai nl,  has  just  published  two  sermons,  preached  at  Cambridge,  last  May,  in  which 

ho  has  given  a  bold  stroke  nl  yon  and  me,  for  what  we  havo  wrote,  on  tho  permission 
of  sin,  though  he  ha.s  not  named  us." 

A  few  months  nfler  Hopkins  had  printed  his  Three  Sermons,  ho  sent  to  Bellamy  a  let 
ter,  which  illustrate!)  the  intimacy  known  to  exist  between  tho  two  divines,  and  tho  an* 
noyiinces  which  they  endured  from  tho  cspioiMgt.  of  their  common  enemy.  — ",  Yours  of 
tho  fifth  of  November/'  xays  Hopkins,  "I  found  at  one  of  our  taverns,  on  the  twenty, 
third.  It  was  opened,  and  one  enclosed  to  Mr.  Knceland  [publisher  of  tho  sermons} 
was  opened  also.  Tho  landlord  says,  he  found  them  in  his  counter,  on  the  floor,  anil 
who  left  them  there  neither  he  nor  any  of  his  family  knows."—"  I  am  much  obliged  to 
you  for  your  good  opinion  of  my  »crmous,"  etc. 


r 

/ 


190  MRM01IU 

• 

is  precisely  the  objection  which  hoa  been  made  for  centuries  to  the 
Calvinistic  system.  Timt  system  goes  even  so  far  as  to  assort,  that 
m\  is  inflicted  on  mnn  ns  his  punishment.  Must  not  ft  punishment 
inflicted  by  Jehovnh  bo  useful  ? 

Thirdly,  these  discourses  illustrate  their  author's  reverence  for 
God,  and  abhorrence  of  moral  evil.  Whatever  men  may  think  of 
his  Calvinistic  theory,  that  sin  in  an  occasion  without  which  it  is  im 
possible  for  creatures  and  their  Creator  to  secure  the  highest  con 
ceivable  good,  men  must  approve-  of  his  teachings  that  sin,  (75  sin,  is 
merely  pernicious,  but  th«  Providence  of  (!od  with  regard  to  it  is 
merely  beneficial  ;  that  whatever  man  does  in  violating  the  law  tends 
in  itself  to  evil,  and  nothing  but  evil,  but  that  whatever  God  does  in 
so  canning  the  certainty  of  sin  as  to  prevent  its  natural  necessity,  t\nd 
in  so  counteracting  its  tendencies  as  to  preclude  the  evil  which  it  is 
fitted  to  produce,  tends  to  the  highest  good  which  Omnipotence  can 
secure;  that  although  sin  in  its  own  nature  leads  to  nothing  useful, 
yet  the  acts  of  (iod  in  making  it  certain  though  avoidable,  and  then 
in  resisting  its  appropriate  influence,  do  lead  to  more  Useful  results 
than  Omnipotence  can  otherwise  secure  ;  that  (iod  could  not  havo 
promoted  the  best  interests  of  his  kingdom,  unless  he  had  so  planned 
the  world  that  sin  would  certainly  be  committed  ;  mull  yet  the  wel 
fare  of  his  kingdom  does  not  result  from  the  moral  evil  viewed  in 
itself,  but  rather  from  the  divine  plan  of  thwarting  tho  moral  evil. 
"  In  n  word,  'tis  not  the  tendency  of  sin,  as  such,  that  Mr.  Edwards 
is  hero  speaking  of  [as  beneficial],  but  the  tendency  of  God's  per 
mitting  it,  and  holding  it  in  his  hands,  and  overruling  it  to  answer 
his  own  wise  and  good  ends  by  it."  * 

TJ.    Inquiry  concerning  the  Promises  of  the,  OospcL 

In.  our  author's  forty-fourth  year,  ho  published  his  first  .controver 
sial  volume.  He  says  of  it  :  • 


"  la  tho  yenr  1705,  I  published  n  book  of  one  hundred  and  forty-fiv 
octavo,  the  title  of  which  was,  'An  Inquiry  concerning  tho  Promises  of  tho 
Gospel  :  whether  any  of  them  nre  made  to  the  Kxerciscs  and  Doings  of  Persons 
in  na  unrcgonenitc  State.  Containing  Remarks  on  two  Sermons  published 
by  Dr.  Mayhow,  of  Hoston,  [entitled  "  Striving  to  enter  in  at  the  Strait  Gate, 
explained  and  inculcated  ;  and  the  Connection  of  Salvation  therewith,  proved 
from  tho  Holy  Scripture."  Also,  a  brief  Inquiry  into  the  use  of  Means  ; 
showing  their  Necessity  in  order  to  Salvation;  nod  what  is  Iho  true  Ground 
of  Encouragement  lor  Sinners  diligently  to  attend  on  them.'  Published  in 
Boston.]  In  theso  sermons  Dr.  Mayhew  attempted  to  provo  that  there  aro 
promises  to  tho  doingn  of  tho  nnregonernto.  In  the  tenth  and  last  section  of 
tin's  hook,  I  attempted  to  show  what  is  tho  design  and  end  of  tho  uso  of 
means,  with  respect  to  tho  unregeneratc,  in  order  to  their  salvation;  where  I 
observed,  that  the  end  wan  not  to  render  tho  unregcnernte  better  or  less  sinful 
whilo  they  continued  \inregencrate  ;  for  persons  while  they  continued  to 

•  Sco  llopk'm/i  Appeidix  to  ibo  above-named  Three  Scriuoai. 


MEMOIR.  191 

reject  the  gospel,  which  all  the  unregenerata  did  under  all  the  means  nsed 
with  thorn,  find  with  all  the  light  and  conviction  they  might  have,  did  not, 
become  less  sinners,  but  greater  and  more  guilty,  whatever  external  rcformnJ 
tion  might  tako  place.  Though  Una  truth  had  been  at  least  implicitly 
asserted  in  the-  writings  of  many  Calvinists,  and  in  their  preaching,  yet  it  had 
not  been  so  explicitly  and  particularly  asserted  and  explained  by  Calvinintic 
writers  and  preachers  in  general ;  and  many,  in  contradiction  to  what  they  at 
other  times  said,  and  to  truo  Calvinism,  said  things  which  implied  the  con 
trary,  and  represented  the  convinced  and  externally  reformed  sinner,  though 
unrcgenerato,  and  continuing  to  reject  the  gospel,  as  a  much  less  sinner,  and 
loss  guilty  than  tho  unawakenea,  secure  winner.  Therefore,  though  Dr. 
Mayhow,  who  was  not  a  Calvinist,  made  no  reply  to  my  remarks  on  Ins  ser 
mon*,  yot  many  professed  Cnlvi'nists  thought  tho  sentiment  I  had  advanced 
was  contrary  to  tiio  truth,  and  of  very  bud  tendency."* 

In  the  fifth,  seventh,  mid  other  sections  of  this  Inquiry,  our  author 
first  advances  the  doctrine,  that  no  change  of  nature,  antecedent  to 
the  change  of  moral  net,  entitles  tho  subject  of  it  to  tho  promise's  of 
life ;  that  regeneration,  if  viewed  as  distinct  from  conversion,  is  not 
in  itself  an  improvement  of  moral  character ;  but  that  moral  char 
acter  lies  in  the  exercises  of  tho  lieart.  Ho  believed  that  there  is  a 
certain  state  of  the  soul,  preparing  tho  unregenerate  to  disobey  tho 
law  ;  that  tins  state  of  the  soul  is  in  itself  neither  holy  nor  sinful,  but 
that  tin-  disobedience,  being  active,  is  sinful ;  that  in  regeneration 
the  state  is  changed  ;  that  the  soul  is  passive  in  this  change  ;  that 
there  is  in  the  regenerate  a  certain  state  of  the  BOU!  inclining  them  to 
obey  the  la\v ;  that  this  state  is  neither  holy  nor  sinful,  but  that  the 
obedience,  being  active,  is  holy ;  and  that  this  change  from  disobe 
dient  to  obedient  act,  is  conversion,  to  which  alone  tho  promises  of 
the  gospel  arc  addressed.  In  one  of  the  numerous  papers,  on  which 
our  author  penned  bis  theological  meditations,  arc  found  the  follow 
ing  statements  : 

"Question  I.  Are  infants  united  to  Christ?  If  they  arc,  how  is  this 
union  brought  about  ? 

*'  Answer.  They  are  not  nrlualli/  united  to  Christ,  but  virtually  HO,  if  regen 
erated.  They  are  actutilly  united  to  him  as  soon  ns  they  coino  to  act,  winch 
takes  place  us  the  natural  and  necessary  fruit  of  conversion. 

"  Question  II.  If  a  doctrinal  knowledge  of  gospel  truth  is  necessary  in  order 
to  conversion,  how  then  can  infants  bo  converted  ? 

"  Answer.  Infants  are  w>t  converted:  they  mny  be  regenerated,  but  not  con- 
rrrfW,  till  they  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth."  (()f  course,  then,  Hop 
kins  believed  that  infanta  are  saved  in  a  manner  diflering,  in  ono  resj>ec,t, 
from  tho  manner  in  which  converted  adults  are  saved:  seo  p.  103  of  this 
Memoir.]  ,, 

C.    Reply  to  Mills  on  the  Character  of  the  Sinner9 1  Acts. 

The  roost  noted  peculiarity  of  Ilopkinsinnism  is  tho  doctrine,  that 
sinners  Imvo  no  promises  addressed  to  them  ns  such,  and  they  should 
not  bo  exhorted  to  perform  any  act  in  tho  character  of  sinners,  and 

•  Skctchei,  pp.  93,  94,  95. 


192  MEMOIR. 

should  bo  urged  to  perform,  without  delay,  those  nets  only  which 
involve  holiness.  They  ought  to  use  mcuns,  hut  to  use  them  in  a 
holy  way.  In  his  discussion  of  this  topic  and  its  correlates,  Dr.  Hop 
kins  achieved  his  most  signal  victories.  Speaking  of  the  opposition 
to  his  criticisms  on  Mayhew,  our  author  *ays  :  "  Mr.  Mills,  of  Ripton, 
in  Connecticut,  was  greatly  alarmed,  and  thought  the  doctrine  I  had 
puhlished  was  new  and  strange,  contrary  to  the  liiblc,  and  tended  to 
great  mischief.  He  therefore  thought  it  his  duty  to  oppose,  and 
attempt  to  confute  me,  and  puhlished  a  hook  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-four  pages  against  me,  in  the  year  1707."  * 

The  title  of  Mr.  Mills's  work  is, \of  itself,  n  small  volume,  charac 
teristic  of  his  times.  It  proceeds  thus: 

"An  Inquiry  concerning  tho  State  of  tlio  Unroorcnornte  under  tho  Gospel ; 
whether  on  every  rising  degree  of  internal  Light,  Conviction,  nad  Amendment 
of  Lite,  they  uro  (while  unrege.ierate)  undoubtedly,  on  tlio  whole,  more  vile, 
odious,  nad  abominable  (in  (tod's  sight)  tlina  they  would  have  been  hud  they 
continued  secure  nud  nt  case,  going  on  in  their  Sins,  under  the  same  external 
Means  of  Light;  containing  Remarks  on  the  Tenth  Section  of  tho  Reverend 
Mr.  Samuel  Ilopkins's  lute  Answer  to  Doctor  Mayhow'a  Hermon  on  Striving 
to  (Miter  in  nt  the  strait  (late;  inlitled  *A  brief  Inquiry  into  the  Use  of 
Means.'  Uy  Jedidiah  Mills,  Minister  of  the  (Jospel  in  Ripton,  Stratford. 
[Published  in]  New  Haven:  Printed  by  U.  Moroni,  17(17." 

The  Preface  of  this  once  noted  "  Inquiry  "  is  dated  November  5, 
17()0.  The  work  was  puhlished  in  the  early  part  of  1707.  At  this 
time,  there  was  a  great  commotion  in  Hopkins**  parish  at  (Jrent 
Harrington.  The  public  controversy  with  regard  to  his  doctrines, 
made  this  commotion  the  more  ungovernable.  He  \vim  dismissed 
January  1H,  170(J,  and  immediately  betook  himself  to  the  refutation 
of  Mr.  Mills.  Without  a  parish  to  sustain  him,  with  a  severe  oppo 
sition  of  the  clergy,  and  a  deep-seated  prejudice  among  the  churches 
against  his  doctrines, t  with  but  little  prospect  of  ever  being  able  to 
secure  another  settlement,  Mr.  Hopkins  was  led  to  look  upon  this 
controversy,  at  this  juncture,  as  peculiarly  hostile  to  the  cause  of 
true  religion;  and  he  therefore  expressed  his  feelings  with  great 
decision.  His  subsequent  comments  on  the  spirit  of  his  Reply  are 
characteristic. 

"  la  the  year  170!',"  he  says,  "  I  published  my  answer  to  Mr.  Mills  of  one 
hundred  eighty-four  pages,  octavo,  in  a  small,  comprehensive  type.  The 

*  Sketches,  p.  93. 

\  See  |>.  7(1  of  this  Atentotr.  The  lino  between  the  old  school  and  the  new  hail  been 
distinctly  drnwn,  for  several  years.  Bellamy  nnd  Ifopkini  wcro,  sinto  the  death  of  Kd- 
\vi  riN,  tin-  stoniest  living  champion*  of  (ho  nrw  school.  There  vis  often  n  slrngglti 
between  tho  two  parties,  when  n  vnrnnt  pulpit  wan  to  be  filled.  •'  A  certain  clergyman, 
in  tho  county  of  l.ilchlicld," —  writes  Hopkins  to  Uellamy,  March  111,  17(iG,  —  "1  hear, 
tr.'.d  n  Shellicld  mini,  tlint  Sheflield  [n  destiinte  parish]  iniglit  not  get  .n  minister  unless 
ho  was  in  n  straight  line  from  (ircat  Harrington  to  Betnlem.  This  being  spread,  somo 
begin  to  say,  '  We  shall  never  get  a  minister,  so  long  as  Messrs.  IJclIamy  nnd  Hopkins 
arc  our  advisers.'  " 


MEMOIR.  »  193 

following  was  tho  title  of  it :  *  The  true  State  and  Character  of  the  Unregen- 
cratc,  ntripped  of  all  Misrepresentation  and  Disguise :  [a  Reply  to  Mr.  Mills's 
Inquiry,  etc.  Printed  at  New  Haven.']  I  believe  this  book,  with  what  was 
afterwards  published  on  tho  same  subject,  was  the  means  of  spreading  and 
giving  much  light  and  conviction  with  respect  to  the  real  character  and  doings 
of  tho  unregcnerate,  and  has  in  a  great  measure  put  a  stop  to  exhorting  tho 
unrcgenerato  to  do  duty  in  order  to  obtain  regeneration,  which  was  very 
common  among  preachers  before  that  time.  Some  of  my  friends  thought  1 
l[  treated  Mr.  Mills  with  too  much  severity,  in  talcing  pains  to  show  how  many 
il  Belt-contradictions  were  to  bo  found  in  his  writings,  and  to  discover  his  wcak- 
//ncas,  &.c. ;  since  I,  as  well  as  others,  believed  he  was  a  good  man,  and  had 
done  much  good,  and  tho  opposition  ho  had  made  to  me  was  more  owing  to 
his  weakness  and  his  old  age,  and  his  speculative  error,  than  to  his  opposition 
of  heart  to  tho  truth.  And  I  believe  there  is  something  of  this  kind  which 
ought,  all  things  considered,  to  be  left  out,  or  otherwise  expressed;  though  I 
had  no  perception  of  it  in  the  time  of  it,  but  thought  I  was  conscientiously 
careful  to  leave  out  all  personal  reflections  and  evcrv  thing  which  was  not 
necessary  in  tho  best  manner  to  expose  error  and  vindicate  the  truth.  But 
how  deceitful  is  tho  heart!  Who  can  understand  his  errors  ?"  * 

The  severity,  for  which  the  venerable  author  thus  npologiy.es,  and 
which  is  mildness  itself  in  comparison  with  the  stylo  of  many  subse 
quent  disputes  among  theologians,  seems  to  Imvo  arisen  from  his 
honesty.  Ho  abhorred  all  controversial  arts,  all  attempts  to  excite 
the  odium  thrologirum  against  n  divine.  lie  was  at  this  time  suffering 
persecution  in  consequence  of  Mich  appeals  to  popular  prejudice. 
There  is  a  real  eloquence,  in  some  of  bis  indignant  protests  against 
one  common  stratagem  of  theological  disputants  : 

"When  I  have  attended,"  he  says,  "to  this  method  Mr.  Mills  has  taken  in 
his  dispute  with  rue,  and  the  way  in  which  ho  has  managed  it,  (which  Bccm.1 
almost  peculiar  to  himself,J  and  how  he  has  not  only  tucked  tiandcinnn  upon 
my  back,  and  took  care  to  keep  him  fast  there1,  and  held  him  up  in  sight  from 
beginning  to  end,  but  hns  also  ranked  mo  with  Arminians  and  Quakers,  yea, 
with  tho  devil  himself;!  I  sny,  when  I  have  attended  to  this,  it  has  brought 
to  my  mind  the  method  the  Roman  Catholics  have  often  taken  with  Protestant 
martyrs  who  were  to  be  put  to  death;  that  is,  to  place  a  large  cap  on  their 
head,  on  which  are  painted  a  number  of  hideous  monsters  and  ugly  devils,  on 
purpose  to  raise  tho  indignation  of  tho  crowd  against  them.  It  is  to  be  ob 
served,  however,  that  they  do  this  to  those  only  who  they  really  think  deserve 
such  treatment,  they  being  in  their  view  as  bad  at  least  as  the  devil  himself; 
whereas  Mr.  Mills  lias  done  all  this  to  his  '  dear  brother,  and  worthy  author, 
and  one  whom  ho  highly  esteems?  "  I 

P.    Reply  to  IfarCs  l)iabgue.  —  Epithet  " Ifopkinsitm* 

Mr.  Mills  was  effectually  silenced  by  Ilopkins's  celebrated  Reply. 
But  in  the  latter  part  of  1701),  Rev.  William  Hart,  the  friend  of  Dr. 
Stiles,  published  a  pamphlet  of  seventy-one  pages,  entitled,  «'  Brief 
Remarks  on  a  Number  of  False  Propositions  and  Dangerous  Errors, 

*  SketrhM,  pp. !»,  00. 

f  Speaking  of  Mr.  Hopkiiu's  hook,  Mr.  Mills  inys,  "  Nor  in  it  in  my  power  to  doubt, 
that  the  gram!  enemy  of  Christ's  rnnso  nnd  precious  iou!»,  puts  his  hourly  Amort  to  it." 
|  Hopkins's  Works,  vol.  iii.  p.  351. 


194  ,  MEMOIR. 

which  are  spreading  in  the  Country ;  collected  out  of  sundry  Dis 
courses  lately  published,  wrote  by  Dr.  Whituker  and  Mr.  Hopkins. 
Written  by  Way  of  Dialogue,  by  William  Ilnrt,  A.  M.f  Pastor  of  tho 
First  Church  iu  Suybrook,"  [Connecticut.  Printed  rtt]  New  Lon 
don,  1701).  The  title  page  bears  ninnng  its  mottoes,  Job  Ixii.  7,  8. 
This  pamphlet  is,  as  its  author  was,  very  respectable.  Before  Hop 
kins  replied  to  it,  he  wrote  thus  to  Dr.  West : 

"  January  12,  17,r>0.  [When  my  Reply!  is  finished,  I  nm  to  send  it  to  Mr. 
Hart,  of  Preston,  anil  ho  will  got  it  jprintcu,  if  ho  und  Mr.  AiiHtin  approve  of 
it.  I  am  sorry  you  and  a  number  of  others  could  not  woo  it,  beforo  it  goes  to 
tho  press,  (if  it  does  go,)  for  I  think  my  judicious  friends  might  bo  of  great 
service  to  mo  in  this  wav ;  nnd  now  helievo  my  Reply  to  Mr.  Mills  would 
have  appeared  to  better  advantage,  had  you  and  some  others  spent  considera 
ble  time  upon  it,  in  correcting  it.  Tin?  first  nnd  general  complaint  against 
that,  I  perceive,  is,  that  1  put  on  a  haughty,  supercilious  air,  by  which  I  dis 
cover  the  pride  of  my  heart,  —  nnd  treat  good  old  Mr.  Mills  in  an  unmannerly, 
nancy  manner,  looking  down  U|HMI  him  with  contempt,  &.o.  And  some  of  my 
judicious  friends  Hay,  (and  perhaps  all  of  them  now  //u'»iA',|  it  might  have  been 
wrote  in  a  better  style  and  manner,  and  without  one  witty  warcasm,  or  any 
thing  that  should  look  like  an  ill-natured  reflection,  to  bin  best  friends;  hut, 
on  tho  contrary,  with  nn  air  of  bonovolonco  and  tenderness  which  especially 
becomes  those  who  have  professedly  espoused  the  most  bfrtrvolcnt  scheme. 
7Viry  ought,  above  all  others,  to  avoid  every  thi  >g  that  looks  like  selfishness 
nnd  ill  nature,  and  [to]  distinguish  themselves  in  frrnerouit  6cnr<*o/ence,  &c.  I 
have  not  read  my  reply,  since  I  have  heard  the  objection;  but  am  now  ready 
to  think  it  is  not  wholly  without  grounds.0 

Hopkins'*)  Ueply  appeared  in  a  pamphlet  of  thirty-one  closely 
printed  pages,  with  the  following  title :  »»  Animadversions  on  Mr. 
Hurt's  Into  Dialogue ;  in  n  Letter  to  a  Friend.  Uy  Samuel  Hop 
kins,  A.  M.,  Minister  of  the  (lospel."  Xew  London,  1770.  It  bears, 
its  its  motto,  Acts  xxiv.  M.  It  must  be  confessed,  that  some  parts  of 
this  Reply  are  written  in  a  more  caustic  style  than  the  Dialogue  of 
Mr.  Hart  seems  to  have  required.  There  are  two  circumstances, 
however,  which  account  for  the  severity  of  those  passages.  One  is, 
that  Mr.  Hart's  Dialogue  appeared  to  have  born  written  with  some  de 
sign  to  prevent  Hopkins'*  resettlement  in  the  ministry,  nnd  that  the 
free  circulation  of  it  in  Newport  did  in  fact  excite  the  early  revolu 
tion  of  tho  First  Church  against  him."  Another  circumstance  is, 
that  soon  after  Mr.  Hart  had  published  his  Dialogue,  "  there  wns,"> 
buya  Dr.  Hopkins,  "a  small  pamphlet  published,  which  was  doubtless 
written  by  the  same  Mr.  Hart,  which  was  written  in  a  snrenstienl 
way,  without  argument  or  reason,  in  which  the  doctrines  I,  and 
others  who  agreed  with  me,  bad  published  were  misrepresented ; 
attempting  to  set  them  in  a  ridiculous  light.  And  with  a  particular 
design,  as  it  appeared,  to  disgrace  me  before  the  public,  he  called 
them  llopkintonian  doctrines.  This  is  the  original  of  this  epithet. 
And  since  that  time,  all  who  embrace  the  Calnnistic  doctrines  which 

*  Sec  p.  7f>  of  ihi*  Memoir. 


MEMOIR.  195 

were  published  by  President  Edwards,  Dr.  Bellamy,  Dr.  West  of 
Stockbridge,  and  myself,  have  been  called  Ifopkintonians,  or  Hopldn- 
sians.  Thus  I  am  become  the  head  of  a  denomination,  who  have 
since  greatly  increased,  and  in  which  thousands  are  included,  and  a 
largo  number  of  ministers,  who,  I  believe,  are  the  most  sound,  con 
sistent,  and  thorough  Calvinists ;  and  who  in  general  sustain  as  good 
a  character,  as  to  their  morality,  preaching,  and  personal  religion,  as 
any  set  of  clergymen  whatever,  and  are  most  popular  where  there 
appears  to  be  most  attention  to  religion ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  are 
most  hated,  opposed,  and  spoken  against,  by  Arminians,  Deists,  and 
persons  who  appear  to  have  no  religion.  And  I  believe,  though  this 
denomination  or  name  originated  from  rfo  such  design,  that  it  has 
proved  an  advantage  to  truth  and  true  religion ;  as  it  has  given  oj>- 
portunity  and  been  the  occasion  of  collecting  those  who  embrace  thu 
scheme  of  Christianity  exhibited  in  the  fore-mentioned  publications, 
and  ranking  them  under  one  standard.  It  has  excited  the  attention 
and  promoted  inquiry  into  the  principles  and  doctrines  which  are 
embraced  and  held  by  those  of  (his  denomination,  by  which  light  and 
conviction  have  been  spread  and  propagated."  * 

Mr.  Hopkins  took  no  public  notice  of  this  pamphlet,  which  origi 
nated  the  appellation  "  Hopkinsian ; "  but  his  "Animadversions"  seem 
to  have  been  tinctured  by  his  abhorrence  of  its  spirit.  To  these  Ani 
madversions  Mr.  Hart  replied,  in  •«  A  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hop 
kins,  occasioned  by  his  Animadversions  on  Mr.  Hart's  late  Dialogue, 
in  which  some  of  his  Misrepresentations  of  Facts  and  of  other  Things 
arc  corrected.  IJy  the  Author  of  that  Dialogue.  «  He  that  is  first  in 
his  own  cause,  seemeth  just,  but  his  neighbor  cometh  and  scarchoth 
him.'  New  London,  1770."  Mr.  Hart  accuses  our  author  again 
of  »*  new  doctrines,"*  •»  new  divinity,"  •»  Calvinism  improved,"  etc. ; 
and  complains  of  having  been  •*  treated  in  nn  injurious,  unfriendly, 
and  ungentlemanly  manner."  **  Indeed,  sir,"  he  says,  "you  do  not 
write  in  a  good  spirit."  Of  Mr.  Hart's  spirit,  the  following  extract 
from  his  Rejoinder  will  give  an  illustration;  —  rather  more  unfavor 
able,  however,  than  is  the  general  character  of  his  defence.  The  ex 
tract  proves  two  important  facts:  first,  that  the  epithet  u  Hopkinsimi" 
was  originally  applied  to  the  New  Divinity  in  special  reference  to  its 
doctrine  of  the  utter  sinfulness  of  all  acts  preceding  regeneration, 
and  the  consequent  necessity  of  enjoining  immediate  repentance ; 
secondly,  that  Hopkiusianism  was  then  supposed  by  its  most  in 
telligent  opponents,  as  well  us  friends,  to  bo  indissolubly  connected 
with  Edwardcanism.  If  one  falls,  the  other  was  thought  to  fall. 
Hopkins  was  not  fifty  years  old,  and  had  not  published  his  most  im 
portant  works,  when  the  New  Theology  began  to  bo  called  allcr  bis 
name. 

•  Sketchc*,  pp.  <J7,  98. 


196  MEMOIR. 

«'  I  observe,  BIT,"  lay*  Mr.  Hart,  in  hU  letter,  "  you  complain  of  injury  and 
falsehood,  in  that  I  sometimes  call  tho  new  doctrines  SandemanLan  errors. 
When  you  objected  this  to  mo  at  my  house,  I  answered,  that  thd  new  scheme 
and  Sundcman's  are  near  akin,  coincident  in  some  things,  and  both  como  to 
much  tho  name  issue.  More  than  this  is  not  pretended  in  tho  Dialogue, 
though  in  Boino  particular  nasHages  I  rnny  have  expressed  myself  too  loosely. 
If  your  smiting  was  that  of  the  righteous,  I  would  esteem  it  IIH  excellent  oil. 
Hut,  unhappily  for  you,  you  aro  como  abroad  this  time,  in  the  spirit  of  a  Jew 
nt  tlio  close  or  his  fust.  As  tho  teachers  of  tho  new  scheme  of  dw.trino  had 
not  given  it  a  iifmnamo,  I  was  u  littlo  in  doubt  what  namo  it  ought  to  bo  called 
by.  Calvinism  I  could  not  call  it,  without  misleading  my  readers,  It  appeared 
to  mo  much  nearer  related  to  Sandcman  than  to  Calvin  ;  HO  I  sometimes  loosely 
railed  it  tho  Handemanian  scheme.  But,  since  it  displeases,  I  forbear. 
Please,  sir,  to  give  the  poor  alrangcr  a  proper  name.  It  in  your  right  to  name 
your  own  children.  It  it  is  culled  alter  your  own  name,  I  bulicvo  nobody 
will  be  displeased, 

14  You,  sir,  lubor  to  convince  your  readers  that  I  have  embraced  several  of 
Mr.  Sandenwn'H  distinguishing  doctrines,  and  know  it  not.  (p.  M.)  This  is 
pleasant  enough.  First  of  all,  you  represented  me  as  agreeing  with  tho  devil, 
(p.  8 ;)  now  with  Mr.  yandemnn.  If  your  wrath  rises  a  littlo  higher,  I  fear 
you  will  undertake  next  to  prove,  that  I  have  also  embraced  Mr.  llopkins's 
sentiments,  and  know  it  not.  You  havo  actually  dune  so  towards  tho  close 
of  your  letter. 

''Speaking  of  Mr.  Kdwnrtlit'*  pieco  on  tho  Nature  of  Virtue,  you  observe, 
that  his  notion  of  virtue  and  natural  conscience,  &c., '  arc  fundamental  to  tho 
scheme  of  doctrines  I  oppose.'  They  arc  so!  And  his  notion  of  virtue  is 
new  and  strange,  and  the  scheme  you  have  built  upon  it  [is1  new.  Both  must 
stand  or  fall  together.  You  ask^  «Why  did  not  Mr.  Hart  take  this  Dissertation 
in  hand,  and  censure  and  confute  it  ?  This  would  be  laying  the  axe  to  tho 
root  of  tho  tree,'  It  would.  I  will  nl*o  tell  you  why  I  did  not.  I  hud  not 
then  seen  that  Dissertation,  though  I  had  heard  of  it.  If  I  had  seen  tint,  niul 
your  Sermons,  before  1  wrote,  mv  Dialogue  would,  in  some  respects,  havo  been 
more  perfect.  I  have  since  reatl  that  Dissertation,  and  laid  the  uxo  to  the  root 
of  the  tree:  «nd,  perhiips,  shall  publish  somo  remarks  upon  it,  showing  that 
Mr.  Kdward.Vs  notions  of  virtue,  of  tho  wn/wrn/  and  mratultin/  beauty  of  moral 
things,  &c.,  are  wrong,  imaginary,  ami  fatally  destructive  of  th^  foundations 
of. morality  and  true  religion.  If  I  do,  1  liopo  to  hate  the  pieco  out  of  tho 
press  by  next  commencement.  Since  you  think  this  will  be  doing  something, 
and  that  I  ought  to  havo  done.it  before,  I  presume,  this  intelligence  will  plcuso 
you,  and  th;it  you  will  subscribe  for  iv do/.en  copies,  at  i'oasf. 

It  is  interesting  to  look  through  the  dust  nml  smoke  of  a  theologi 
cal  controversy,  to  the  solitary  musings  of  the  controversialists.  We 
have  often  heard,  that  no  man  is  u  hero  to  his  vakt  dc  chwnltrc,  15ut 
we  must  sny,  that  the  private  disclosures  of  Hopkins  are  u  more 
striking  proof  of  his  honest  regard  for  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  than  is 
to  he  found  in  his  public  manifestations.  The  nearer  we  come  to 
him,  the  more  must  we  honor  him.  He  was  assailed  so  violently, 
that  his  ministerial  usefulness  seemed  to  lie  destroyed.  «'  I  think  it 
most  prohahle,"  he  writes,  January  12,  1770,  «'  that  I  shall  return  to 
private  life,  if  1  live  much  longer,  unless  there  shall  he  a  remarknhlo 
turn  in  religious  a  Hairs  in  New  I'jiighmd.  They  are  rousting  more 
und  more  every  where,  and  [are]  determined  to  crush  and  extirpate 
the  new  orthodox  heresy"  Very  seldom  has  an  American  divine  heen 
called,  like  Hopkins,  to  contend  abstrusely  and  metaphysically  for 


MEMOIR.  197 

hig  official  reputation  and  his  daily  bread.  Yet  how  heavenly  were 
his  thoughts  during  this  severe  contest !  It  was  in  the  very  thickest 
of  it,  that  he  wrote  the  meditations  on  pp.  73-70  of  this  Memoir. 
The  following  extracts  from  his  Diary  do  not  seem  to  have  come 
from  a  dismissed  pastor,  whoso  enemies  were  toiling  to  bar  the  doors 
of  the  churches  against  him : 

"  Newport,  Thursday  evening,  January  18,  1770.  Have  begun  to  write 
remarks  upon  Mr.  Hurt,  niu)  think  it  my  duty  to  prosecute  it  as  fast  aa  I  can, 
supposing  I  am  called  to  it  by  God.  O  that  Gou  would  guide  my  heart  and 
my  pen  through  Uio  whole ! 

"Lord's  Day,  January  21.  Preached  from  Hcb.  ii.  3:  'How  shall  wo 
escape,'  &c.  Had  freedom  of  speech,  and  now  feel  calm  and  cosy  in  my 
mind,  as  having  in  KOIIIO  measure  declared  the  truth  clearly  and  plainly,  and 
recommended  myself  to  men's  consciences  in  tho  sight  of  God.  I  pray  God 
to  give  hi*  blessing  to  what  has  been  said.  May  it  bo  tho  means  of  salvation 
to  HOI  no  poor  soul. 

"Saturday,  January  527.  I  seemed  to  have  some  sense,  to-day,  of  God's 
goodness  to  mo,  It  surpasses  all  expression  —  all  thought.  O,  how  reason 
able,  how  comely  is  praise !  Let  me  spend  an  eternity  in  this !  " 

Tho  man  who  wrote  thus,  and  felt  thus  in  his  closet,  could  not 
himself  lie  buried,  nor  let  the  truth  lie  buried  under  tho  missiles  of 
his  adversaries.  Nearly  all  the  main  principles  for  which  ho  was 
thus  sacrificing  hi*  temporal  interests,  in  this  controversy  on  the  use 
of  means,  are  now  generally  adopted  by  the  most  successful  preachers 
of  Now  England. 

R.    Work  on  Jlolincsx. 

Rev.  William  Hart  published,  in  1771,  his  valuable  "  Remarks  on 
President  Edwnrds's  Dissertation  concerning  the  Nature  of  True 
Virtue."  lie  endeavored  to  disprove  tho  Edwardoan  theory,  and 
thus  to  undermine  tho  foundation  of  Hopkinsianism.  He  often 
alluded  to  Hopkins,  as  tho  chief  representative  of  Edwards.  About 
tho  same  time,  Dr.  Moses  Mather  took  up  the  pen  against  the  doc 
trines  of  Edwards,  Bellamy,  and  Hopkins,  three  men  who  are  to 
stand  or  fall  together.  Dr.  Hemmenwny  was  loudly  called  upon,  by 
many  Calvinists  of  his  time,  to  come  forth  in  aid  of  Mr.  Hart.  Hcm- 
menway  had  an  exalted  reputation  as  a  scholar  and  divine.  His 
friend  Btickminstcr  said  of  him:  Ho  «« was  a  sincere  and  firm  Cal- 
,  vinist  of  tho  old  school,  though  candid  and  charitable  to  such  as  had 
/  their  doubts  and  scruples  upon  some  of  its  doctrines.  Ho  was 
alarmed  at  some  of  the  strange  cions  [scions]  which  modern  Cal 
vinism  1ms  attempted  to  graft  upon  this  stock,  and,  by  the  subtleties 
of  metaphysics,  to  prove  that  they  were  legitimate  sprouts  from  its 
venerable  roots."  *  In  1707,  Dr.  Ilemmcnway  hud  published  uovcn 

*  Sco  p.  16  of  an  excellent  "  Sermon  delivered  tit  tho  Interment  of  the  Rev.  Motet 
Henxmenway,  D.  D.;  Pastor  of  the  Pint  Church  in  Welli,  (Diitrict  of  Maine.)  By  Jo* 


198  MEMOIR. 

sermons,  on  the  obligation  of  the  unregenerate  to  strive  for  eternal 
life.  He,  of  course,  regarded  Hopkins's  Reply  to  Mills  as  a  virtual 
reply  to  those  sermons.  Accordingly,  in  1772,  he  printed  n  volume 
of  a  hundred  nnd  twenty-seven  octavo  pages,  entitled :  »*  Vindication 
of  the  power,  obligation,  nnd  encouragement  of  the  unfcgencratc  to 
attend  the  IUCHIIH  of  grace:  —  Against  the  exceptions  of  Uev.  Mr. 
Samuel  Hopkins."  In  reply  to  these  various  attacks  from  Connecti 
cut,  Massachusetts,  nnd  Maine,  our  author  published*  in  his  fifty- 
Bccoiid  year,  u  volume  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  pages,  entitled : 
««An  Inquiry  into  the  Nature  of  True  Holiness,  with  nn  Appendix, 
containing  an  Answer  to  the  Hev.  Mr.  William  Hart's  Remarks  on 
President  Kdwards's  Dissertation  on  the  Nature  of  True  Virtue;  and 
brief  Remarks  on  some  Things  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mather  has  lately  pub 
lished.  Also,  an  Answer  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hemmenwny's  Vindica 
tion,  &c.  By  Samuel  Hopkins,  M.  A., Newport,  R.  I. 

177IJ." He  rightly  judged,  that  the  differences  between  him 
self  and  his  opponents  resulted  from  their  respective  views  on  the 
nature  of  holiness.  His  "Treatise  on  this  subject  was  rcpuhlislied  in 
1701,  in  an  edition  of  fifteen  hundred  copies.  Mr.  Hart  and  Dr. 
Mather  made  no  rejoinder  to  this  Reply;  but  Dr.  Hemmenway 
published,  in  177-1,  u  hundred  and  sixty-six  pages  of  '«  Remarks  on 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins's  Answer  to  n  Tract,  entitled,  '  A  Vindica 
tion,'"  etc.  In  the  conclusion  of  his  Remarks,  Dr.  Hemmenway 
says,  »«  Truth  is  not  afraid  of  giants."  These  words  betray  his  con 
viction  that  he  had  fallen  into  the  grasp  of  a  giant,  lie  was  an  able 
man,  but  Hopkins  had  the  better  cause.  Therefore,  Dr.  Hemmen 
way  was  driven  to  the  well-understood  methods  of  a  defeated  con 
troversialist.  He  heaps  upon  our  author  injurious  charges,  of  igno 
rance,  pride,  anger,  Arminianism,  Pelagiunism,  it  id  omne  genus ; 
accuses  him  of  denying  original  sin,  and  condemns  both  him  and 
Edwards  for  their  remarks  on  Ability,  etc.  As  Hopkins  took  no 
notice  of  Mr.  Hart's  personal  assault  in  1770,  so  he  passed  over  in 
silence  the  vituperative  Reply  of  Dr.  llcmmcnway.  Ho  says  that 
the  Reply  "  was  not  much  read,  and  had  but  little  influence  on  the 
minds  of  any."*  Dr.  Hemmenway  lived  to  regret  and  to  confess 
his  fault,  in  assailing  Hopkins  with  so  much  acrimony.  It  must  be 
conceded,  however,  that  Hopkins  appeared  to  feel  rather  too  con 
scious  of  his  superiority  to  Hemmenway,  and  wrote  against  him  in  a 
style  of  occasionally  too  severe  reprimand.  His  honest  contempt 
for  weak,  inconsistent  reasoning  was  mistaken  for  a  haughty,  domi 
neering  temper.  His  severity,  however,  was  far  less  than  that  of 
many  controversialists,  who  have  lived  in  a  more  refined  age. 

irph  Burkminstcr,  1>.  1>.     '  Ho  was  n  pood  man.'     'A  prcat  mnn  hns  fnllcu.'  — 1811." 
Dr.  Hurkmiii<iU%r  wns  tho  father  of  iho  celebrated  Unitarian  preacher,  Joseph  Slovc-ai 
Buckminstcr,  of  Boston. 
•  Sketches,  pp.  <J9,  100. 


MEMOIR.  199 

Hopkins-s  Theory  of  Holiness  wns  assailed  by  an  English  writer, 
in  the  Theological  Magazine,  vol.  ii.  pp.  139,  scq.,  nnd  defended  in 
the  same  Magazine,  vol.  iii.  pp.  274,  seq.  To  this  Reply  the  British 
divino  published  a  Rejoinder,  in  vol.  iii.  pp.  418,  seq.,  and  before  a 
surrejoinder  could  be  prepared,  the  Maga/inc  was  discontinued. 

With  his  Treatise  on  Holinc^,  the  controversial  career  of  our 
author,  as  a  theologian,  ended.  In  his  old  age,  he  looked  hack  upon 
this  career  with  peculiar  satisfaction.  "  Dr.  Hopkins,  in  conversing 
with  me  on  his  past  history,"  says  Clmnning,  »» reverted  more  fre 
quently  to  his  religious  controversies,  than  to  any  other  event  of  his 
life,  and  always  spoke  as  u  man  conscious  of  having  gained  the  vic 
tory  ;  and  in  this,  I  doubt  not,  that  ho  judged  justly.  He  was  true, 
as  I  have  said,  to  his  principles,  and  carried  them  out  fearlessly  to 
their  consequences,  whilst  his  opponents  wished  to  stop  halfway."* 

F.    Sermon  un  the  Divinity  of  Christ. 

Our  author's  theological  forecast,  his  quickness  to  discern  the  be 
ginnings  of  error,  and  to  oppose  it  in  its  very  inception,  are  strikingly 
manifest  in  a  sermon  preached  at  Boston,  in  his  forty-seventh  year. 
Ife  says  of  it : 

"  la  17(58,  a  sermon  which  I  preached  in  the  CM  South  Meeting-house,  in 
Boston,  wns  published  at  the  desire  of  a  number  of  tho  hearers.  Tho  title  of 
it  is,  'The  Importance  and  Necessity  of  Christinas  considering  Jesus  Christ 
in  tlm  Kxtent  of  his  high  and  glorious  Character.'  The  text  [is]  Hebrews  iii.  1. 
It  w;us  composed  with  a  design  to  preach  it  in  Boston,  as  1  expected  soon  to 
go  there,  under  a  conviction  that  the  doctrine  of  tho  divinity  of  Christ  wna 
much  neglected,  if  not  disbelieved,  by  a  number  of  the  ministers  in  Boston."  f 

Sixty-two  years  after  this  sermon  was  published,  it  was  reviewed 
in  the  Spirit  of  the  Pilgrims,  vol.  iii.  pp.  5S2-50I,  and  its  prophetic 
character  was  distinctly  commended.  It  is  noteworthy,  that  tho  very 
man  whoso  writings  are  sometimes  said  to  have  prepared  the  way 
for  Unitarianism  among  us,  was  the  first  to  sound  the  alarm  in  regard 
to  it,  more  than  forty  years  before  it  had  awakened  a  general  oppo 
sition  in  our  orthodox  community.  It  was  the  resolute,  uncompro 
mising  spirit  of  such  discourses  as  this,  which  led  an  opponent  to 
say  of  our  author  :  "  He  was  a  singularly  blameless  man,  with  tho 
exception  of  intolerance  towards  those  who  diU'crcd  from  him."  J 

G.    Sermons  on  Late  and  Regeneration* 
In  n  letter  to  Dr.  Bellamy,  dated  July  23,  1707,  our  author  writes  : 

[I  have  recently]  "preached  at  Boston,  Sal , in, ,  Ipswich,  Rowley, 

and  Ncwbury,  1  imagine  generally  to  good  acceptance.    They  are  much 

•  Works,  vol.  iv.  p.  330.  Dr.  Chnnning  proceeds  to  give  a  Bynopsis  of  the  Hopkin- 
iiuu  controversy ;  but  in  that  syuopsis  we  cannot  ngreo  with  him. 

t  Sketches,  p.  93.  $  Chanumg's  Works,  vol.  iv.  p.  362. 


200  MEMOIR. 

more  religious,  and  zealous  to  hear  preaching  at  the  cast  of  Boston,  than  in 
any  other  part  of  New  England.  Two  sermons  which  I  preached  at  Ipswich 
arc  [likely]  to  be  printed.  I  send  you  some  of  tho  proposals.  I  have  more, 
which  I  propose  to  carry  to  the  commencement,  Ii  you  will  wait  for  me,  I 
will  endeavor  to  be  at  your  house  Monday  night" 

These  two  sermons  were  printed  in  a  pamphlet  of  sixty-five  pages, 
in  1708,  and  reprinted  in  1703.  The  title  of  the  first  edition  is  : 

"Two  Discourses:  I.  On  the  Necessity  of  the  Knowledge  of  the  Law  of 
God,  in  order  to  the  Knowledge  of  Sin.  II.  A  particular  and  critical  Inquiry 
into  the  Cause,  Nature,  and  Means  of  that  Chango  in  which  men  nre  born  of 
(iod.  By  Samuel  Hopkins,  A.  M.,  Minister  of  the  Gospel  in  Great  Barrington. 
Boston:  Printed  and  sold  by  William  M'Alpino,  about  midway  between  the 
Governor's  and  Dr.  Gardiner's,  Marlborough  Street.  17(>^." 


In  the  third  division  of  the  second  of  these  discourses,  our  author 
teaches  the  moral  innocence  of  nil  states  preceding  choice  ;  and  it  13 
noticeable  that  this  doctrine  elicited  hut  little  comment  from  tho 
multitude  who  opposed  him.  Even  Dr.  Hemmemvay  uttered  only  a 
feeble  protest  against  these  discourses.  In  a  note  to  the  second  of 
them,  (sec  vol.  iii.  p.  553,  of  Hopkins's  Works,)  our  author  expresses 
bis  doubt,  whether  all  that  lies  back  of  moral  exercises  may  not  be 
resolved  into  a  mere  constitution  or  law  of  nature.  He  declares  that 
"  it  is  difficult,  and  perhaps  impossible  to  form  any  distinct  and  clear 
idea  "  of  a  passive  "  principle,  taste,  temper,  disposition,  habit,  &c." 
As  early,  then,  as  1707,  the  germ  of  Kmmonisin  was  found  in  the  New 
Divinity.*  At  this  time,  Dr.  Kmmons  was  a  member  of  the  senior 
class  at  Yale  College.  When  Emmons  bad  been  only  three  months 
a  licentiate,  nnd  before  he  bad  made  any  impression  on  the  theology 
of  our  land,  Mr.  Hopkins  wrote  the  following  words  to  Dr.  West  : 
*»  January  12,  1770.  Messrs.  Smaller,  Hart,  nnd  Austin  are  much 
opposed  to  the  new  notion  of  no  spiritual  substance*  which  they  call 
llvrkshire  Divinity.  The  two  latter  insist  upon  it,  that  such  a  notion 
is  inconsistent  with  what  I  have  published  concerning  regeneration  ; 
and  that  according  to  this,  regeneration  is  nothing  but  conversion,  and 
is  wholly  by  light.  I  wish  you  would  turn  your  thoughts  a  little  on 
this  subject.  1  should  be  sorry  if  the  ftw  Ixlwnrdeans  should  get  into 
divisions  among  themselves."  This  letter  proves  that  the  Exercise 
Scheme,  which  took  no  notice  of(  whether  or  not  it  allowed  the  existence 
of)  any  nature  or  state  back  of  the  will,  was  not  an  invention  of  Dr. 
Emmons.  The  letter  also  proves  that  Hopkins  was  not  so  sensitive 

*  The  differences  between  Hopkins  and  Emmons  pertained  c/iiV/ty  to  other  subjects 
than  those  of  sin,  ability,  etc.  TlitH,  after  the  publication  of  one  of  Etnmons's  most  im 
portant  volumes,  Hopkins  writes  to  West:  "October  17,  IftOO.  Have  you  seen  Dr. 
Emmons's  late  volume  of  sermons  ?  I  differ  from  him  on  two  points,  which  perhaps 
you  do  not  j  viz.  the  sonship  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  perfection  but  iticonstancy  of  the 
holy  exercises  of  Christians  ;  their  imperfection  consisting  wholly  in  the  latter."  Hop 
kins  was  more  particularly  sensitive  to  what  he  regarded  as  Emmons'*  error  on  the  sub 
ject  of  baptism  ;  and  wrote  an  essay  against  the  supposed  error,  but  after  reading  the 
essay  to  Emmoiu,  concluded  not  to  print  it. 


MEMOIR.  801 

ns  Smallcy  and  Hart,  with  regard  to  the  scheme,  which  professed  an 
utter  ignorance  of  a  passive  state  or  temper  occasioning  holiness  or 
pin.  The  principles  of  this  scheme  had,  in  fact,  been  intimated  in 
the  above-mentioned  note  to  Hopkins's  tjfc'o  discourses.  He  looked 
upon  it,  ns  a  whole,  with  more  of  distrust,  and  even  of  respect,  thun 
of  positive  aversion.*  The  letter  further  suggests,  that  while  Hop 
kins  opposed  the  prevalent  Calvinism  of  New  England,  and  asserted 
that  regeneration  is  performed  without  the  instrumentality  of  divine 
truth,  some  of  his  followers,  as  West,  Emmons,  Spring,  coincided 
with  that  Calvinism,  so  far  forth  as  to  assert  that  regeneration  is  not 
performed  without  the  instrumentality  of  divine  truth.  They  meant 
by  regeneration  what  Hopkins  meant  by  conversion.  So  curiously 
have  the  systems  of  our  divines  been  intcrtanglcd  with  each  other. 
In  their  nomenclature  on  this  theme,  Hopkins  was  farther  from  the 
New  England  Calvinism  of  his  day  than  were  his  disciples,  West, 
Emmons,  Spring ! 

The  life  of  Hopkins  was  a  battle.  Every  thing  which  ho  published 
was  opposed  by  some  one  of  the  parties  then  in  the  field.  The  above- 
named  two  discourses  were  violently  assailed  in  a  political  newspaper. 
Jonathan  Edwards,  Junior,  then  a  young  man  of  twenty-four,  came 
to  the  rescue,  and  wrote  a  spirited  defence  of  his  revered  teacher. 
The  controversy  was  too  personal,  and  was  exciting  in  the  highest 
degree. 

H.    Work  on  Future  Punishment. 

In  his  sixty-second  year,  our  author  published  an  octavo  volume 
of  one  hundred  and  ninety-four  pages,  entitled : 

"  An  Inquiry  concerning  the  Future  State  of  those  who  die  in  their  Sins : 
wherein  the  Dictates  of  Scripture  and  Reason  upon  this  important  Subject  are 
carefully  considered;  and  whether  endless  Punishment  be  consistent  with 
Divine  Justice,  Wisdom,  and  Goodness.  In  which,  also,  objections  arc  stated 
nnd  answered.  By  Samuel  Hopkins,  A.  M.,  Pastor  of  the  First  Congrega 
tional  Church  in  Newport,  178:3." 

The  •  work  was  written  several  years  before  its  publication.  In 
his  memoir  of  himself,  our  author  remarks  :  "I  published  that  book 
at  that  time,  because  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation  was  preached 
and  propagated  by  a  number,  and  began  to  spread  in  the  country."  t 
In  the  fourth  section  of  this  Inquiry,  the  author  says  of  the  wicked  : 
44  The  smoke  of  their  torment  shall  ascend  up  in  the  sight  of  the 
Messed  forever  and  ever  ;  and  serve,  ns  a  most  clear  glass,  always 
before  their  eyes,  to  give  them  a  constant,  bright,  and  most  affecting 
view  of  all  these.  And  all  this  display  of  the  divine  character  and 
glory  will  be  in  favor  of  the  redeemed,  and  most  entertaining,  and 
give  the  highest  pleasure  to  oil  who  love  God,  and  raise  their  imp- 

•  See  pp.  17G,  200,  of  this  Memoir.  t  Sketches,  p.  101. 


202  MEMOIR. 

piness  to  ineffable  heights,  whose  felicity  consists,  summarily,  in  the 
knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  God."  Again,  he  says,  that  "  this 
eternal  punishment  reflects  such  light  on  the  divine  character," 
and  «« makes  such  a  bright  display  "  of  the  Redeemer's  worthiness, 
etc.,  «« thnt,  should  it  cease,  and  this  fire  could  be  extinguished,  it 
would  in  a  great  measure  obscure  the  light  of  heaven,  and  put  an  end 
to  a  great  pnrt  of  the  happiness  nnd  glory  of  the  blessed."  *  Tlu's 
sentiment  is  by  no  means  peculiar  to  our  plain-spoken  divine.  It  per- 
vndcs  the  Calvinistic  treatises.  Hopkins  clothes  it,  however,  in  Inn- 
g:mgo  more  apt  than  the  common  phraseology,  to  give  offence.  He 
feared  not  the  face  of  man.  What  word  more  obnoxious  than  the 
word  ««  entertaining,"  could  have  been  selected  for  such  a  theme  ? 
Elsewhere,  he  uses  the  word  "  relish  "  in  the  same  application,  and 
witli  the  some  boldness.  Such  a  choice,  or  rather  such  an  employ- 
mcnt  of  nervous  phrases,  for  teaching  the  standard  Calvinistic  doc 
trines,  illustrates  the  fact,  more  fully  than  it  can  be  siiown  by  a 
lengthened  criticism,  that  the  charge  of  hyper-Calvinism,  so  often 
preferred  against  our  author,  is  suggested  by  his  diction,  more  than 
by  his  meaning.  Ho  meant  to  express  forcibly  and  effectively  the 
real  idea  of  the  Calvinistic  creed.  He  meant  to  be  Understood  and 
felt.  lie  thus  awakened  the  popular  prejudice,  that  his  faith  on  the 
subject  of  eternal  punishment  exceeded  tlio  standards  of  orthodoxy. 
He  suffered  far  more  opprobrium  for  his  teachings  on  this  theme, 
than  for  nil  his  assertions  that  sin  consists  in  choosing  wrong,  and 
this  wrong  choice  can  be  avoided  by  the  transgressor.  At  least  two 
caricature  prints  were  circulated,  for  the  purpose  of  representing 
him  as  being  "  entertained  "  with  the  woes  of  the  lost.  The  above- 
cited  passage,  with  the  word  "entertaining,"  was  quoted  in  a  sharp 
critique,  which  appeared  against  him  in  the  Newport  Mercury  of 
September  20,  1783.  It  is  pleasing  to  notice,  however,  that  the 
author  of  this  newspaper  criticism,  like  every  other  citizen  of  New 
port,  treated  the  personal  virtues  of  Hopkins  with  deference;  com 
mended  him  as  a  man,  but  rebuked  him  as  a  theologian  ;  spoke  of 
him  us  one  «•  whoso  education,  conduct,  nnd  long  experience  in  the 
ministry  render  his  character  respectable ;  but,"  he  adds,  "  though 
far  my  superior  in  years,  experience,  and  understanding,  it  may  not 
be  amiss  for  him,  in  the  words  of  the  poet,  to 

1  Lend  me,  for  a  \vliilc,  his  pntienco, 
And  condescend  lo  hear  a  young  man  speak.'" 

To  this  newspaper  Review  of  Hopkins,  two  Replies  appeared  in 
the  Mercury,  one  of  them  apparently  from  our  author  himself. 

No  one  can  attentively  read  this  Treatise  of  Hopkins  on  Future 

*  Dr.  Hopkins  was  always  prepared  to  defend  his  use  of  these  eiprcssions,  by  the 
fact  that  words  equally  intense  ore  employed  iu  the  sacred  poetry.  Ilia  stylo  was  not 
adopted  through  carelessness,  but  ou  principle.  Sco  hi»  Works,  vol  ii.  pp.  457,  458. 


MEMOIR*  203 

Punishment,  and  compare  it  with  succeeding  discussions  of  the  same 
topic,  without  perceiving  the  originality  and  profoundness  of  our  au 
thor,  'and  the  often  unacknowledged  indebtedness  of  other  writers  to 
him.  Perhaps  not  one  of  his  Treatises  more  fully  illustrates  hif 
eminent  holiness,  as  well  as  his  deep  penetration. 

I.    Theological  System. 

Mr.  Whelpley,  in  his  celebrated  Triangle,*  says,  that  this  «« is  one 
of  the  noblest  bodies  of  divinity  in  the  English  language ; "  and  he 
predicts  that  when  it  shall  be  candidly  studied,  «•  and,  especially 
when  it  shall  have  the  good  fortune  to  be  judged  by  those  who  have 
read  it,"  "it  will  stand  as  high  on  the  shelves  of  future  libraries,  and 
be  regarded  as  a  work  of  as  much  utility  and  merit,  as  Pictet, 
Ridgcly,  and  Turretin."  Hopkins  himself  thus  writes  the  history  of 
the  work : 

"In  tho  yenr  1793,  was  published  my  'System  of  Doctrines  contained  in 
Divine  Revelation,  explained  and  defended ;  showing  their  Consistence  and 
Connection  with  each  other.  To  which  is  added,  a  Treatise  on  tho  Millen 
nium.'  In  two  large  octavo  volumes,  the  whole  containing  one  thousand  two 
hundred  forty-four  pages ;  sold  to  subscribe-s  at  three  dollars  a  set  There 
was  a  large  subscription  for  this  work,  of  above  one  thousand  two  hundred. 
I  sold  the  copyright  to  tho  printers  for  nine  hundred  dollars,  which  has  been 
a  help  to  me,  in  the  low,  deranged  state  of  my  church  and  congregation ; 
without  which  I  know  not  how  I  shouldvhavc  subsisted.  I  had  no  expectation 
of  getting  a  penny  by  the  publication  when  I  began,  and  while  I  was  pre 
paring  it  for  tnc  press,  nor  had  the  least  view  or  thought  of  it.  I  was  about 
ten  years,  composing  and  preparing  it  for  the  press.  It  has  been  a  laborious 
work  to  rne,  which  I  consider  as  the  greatest  public  service  that  I  have  ever 
done.  It  has  met  with  more  general  and  better  acceptation,  by  far,  thin  I 
expected,  both  in  America  and  Europe;  and  no  one  has  undertaken  to  answer 
it,  though  some  cursory  remarks  have  been  made  upon  some  parts  of  it,  by 
way  of  objection,  which,  I  believe,  will  not  have  much,  if  any,  influence  to 
prevent  the  credit  and  usefulness  of  it."  f 

Our  author  began  the  composition  of  this  System,  on  the  thirty 
first  day  of  December,  1781,  and  the  Preface  to  it  was  dated  Au 
gust  20,  1792.  He  labored  on  it,  then,  from  his  sixty-first  to  his 
seventy-first  year.  He  hesitated  much  with  regard  to  the  place  of 
its  publication.  He  said :  "  No  printer  in  this  town  is  equal  to  it 
[i.  e.  to  publishing  so  large  a  work] ;  for  unless  it  could  be  done 
well,  1  would  not  have  it  printed."  He  finally  sent  it  to  Thomas  &. 
Andrews,  in  Boston.  He  wrote,  but  did  not  publish,  the  following 
Dedication  of  if: 

"[O  thou  Head]  of  the  Church,  [Sovereign]  Lord  of  all! 

"  In  thine  infinite  condescension  and  goodness,  permit  and  assist  tho  most 
unworthy  of  thy  servants  to  dedicate  tho  ensuing  labor  and  production  to 

*  Se«  pp.  90,  91.  t  Skctchei,  pp.  101, 102. 


204  MEMOIR. 

THEE,  and  hambly  lay  it  at  thy  feet,  asking  thy  gracious  acceptance,  pat 
ronage,  and  blessing. 

"Hast  not  THOU  called  him  and  pointed  out  his  way  to  this  work  ?  And 
host  not  THOU  supported,  assisted,  and  carried  him  through  lit  ?  THOU  secst 
all  tho  dcfcctH  of  it,  and  every  thing  that  is  wrong.  THOU  only  art  able  to 
prevent  tho  evil  effect  of  these,  and  overrule  them  for  good.  THOU  only 
canst  bless  and  succeed  this  endeavor  to  servo  thy  causo,  nnd  vindicate  and 
promote  thy  truth,  and  tho  interest  of  thy  church  and  kingdom.  Out  of  tho 
mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings,  THOU  (lost  ordain  and  perfect  strength  and 
praise  ;  and  art  able  to  mriko  this  attempt  tho  mean  of  supporting  and  pro 
moting  thy  saving  truth,  and  a  blessing  to  millions  ;  and  causo  it  to  produce 
thoso  hnppy  effects  which  shall  promote  tliino  honor  and  tho  happiness  of  thy 
kingdom,  forever. 

"  Thin  is  thy  cause,  and  to  THF.K  it  is  cheerfully  committed,  with  joy  that 
it  is  wholly  in  thine  hand,  and  that  thou  doest  whatsoever  plcascth  thcc,  in 
heaven  and  on  earth. 

"And  wilt  not  THOU,  O  thou  highly  exalted  and  most  merciful  Saviour, 
accept  thin  offering  from  one  who,  though  infinitely  unworthy,  esteems  it  the 
highest  honor  and  happiness  to  bo  thy  devoted  servant,  forever  ? 

HOPKINS." 


Bellamy,  who  hml  rendered  such  fraternal  nid  to  Hopkins,  in 
criticizing  his  preceding  works,  hnd  now  been  in  his  grave  two  years. 
His  son-in-law,  Dr.  Hart,  of  Preston,  first  examined  tho  System  in 
manuscript;  then,  it  was  critiei/ed  by  Dr.  West,  of  Stockbridgc; 
afterwards  by  Dr.  Jonathan  Edwards,  of  New  Haven.  The  last- 
named  divine  was  also  requested  by  Hopkins,  to  comment  on  tho 
System.  after  its  publication.  A  copy  of  his  remarks  is  here  sulv- 
joined.  They  illustrate  the  frankness  nnd  faithfulness  of  tho  criti- 
cinms  upon  one  another,  which  our  great  men  were  wont  to 
encourage.  They  also  prove,  that  Edwards  agreed  with  Hopkins 
on  tho  more  important  parts  of  the  Hopkinsian  System,  and  that 
this  system  received,  in  the  main,  the  sanction  of  the  more  eminent 
divines  in  that  day.  Hopkins  indorsed  on  Edwards's  letter  tho 
following  words:  "Dr.  Edwirds's  Remarks  on  my  System  ;  —  to  bo 
attended  to,  if  there  should  be  a  second  edition.  March  19,  1795." 
This  second  edition,  however,  was  not  printed  until  1811,  eight  years 
after  our  author's  demise. 

"New  Haven,  October  29,  179IJ.  Reverend  and  Honored  Sir:  I  have  re 
ceived  your  request  by  President  Stiles,  that  I  would  scitd  you  remarks  on 
your  System  ;  now  sit  down  to  comply  [with]  it.  In  pcncrnl,  I  approve  it,  and 
thank  you  for  it,  and  think  you  deserve  the  thanks  ot  all  friends  to  tho  truth. 
Still,  soino  things  struck  mo  as  capable  of  amendment  They  arc  aa  follows: 

"1.  Would  not.  real  and  manifest  miracles  now  wrought  in  favor  of  any 
doctrine,  not  agreeable  to  the  gospel,  either  provo  that  doctrine  to  bo  from 
(iod,  or  provo  that  the  miracles  wrought  by  Moses  and  Jesus  were  no  proof 
of  their  doctrines  ?  This  refers  to  what  is  said,  vol.  i.  pp.  14,  15.* 

"2.  How  do  the  prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  provo  that  the  writings 
of  the  Now  are  from  (Jod  ?  (Vol.  i.  pp.  20,  21.)  Would  not  tho  prophecies 

*  Dr.  F«dw&r<U'«  references  nra  modified,  so  as  to  make  thorn  conform  to  the  com* 
plcte  edition  of  Hopkiiu's  Works. 


MEMOIR.  205 


of  the  New  Testament  equally  prove  any  true  history  of  the  popes  to  be 
from  God? 

"3.  Is  the  jroodness  of  the  doctrines  and  duties  revealed  in  the  Scriptures, 
a  proof  that  they  were  ffiven  by  inspiration  ?  (Vol.  L  pp.  23,  24.)!  It  undoubt 
edly  proves  that  those  doctrines  aro  fruc,  and  that  those  duties  are  obligatory  ; 
but  that  a  number  of  doctrines  and  precepts,  all  favorable  to  real  virtue  and 
godliness,  could  not  bo  invented  and  published  by  uninspired  men,  does  not 
appear.  Therefore  I  do  not  believe  what  President  Kdwards  has  written  on 
this  subject,  in  his  Treatise  on  Religious  Affections. 

"4.  Is  it  impossible,  that,  the  Scriptures  should  bo  understood  by  men  of 
corrupt  inind  ?  (Vol.  i.  pp.  25,  2(1.)  I  do  not  believe  it. 

"5.  Goodness  and  justice  aro  not  always  tho  same  thing.  (Vol.  i.  pp,  47, 
48.)  It  is  goodness  to  purdon  a  binner  believing;  but  it  is  not  justice.  It 
would  be  justice  to  damn  Paul,  but  it  would  bo  no  goodness. 

"<>.  Goodness,  truth,  and  faithfulness  do  not  appear  to  be  properly  dis 
tinguished.  (Vol.  i.  p.  48.) 

"7.  That  God  loves  and  regards  himself  infinitely  more  than  tho  wliolo 
creation,  (vol.  i.  pp.  51,  52,)  appears  to  mo  not  true.  For  any  being  to  love 
himself,  is  to  lovo-  his  own  happiness.  Hut  all  God's  happiness  .consists  in 
producing  a  happy  creation  ;  otherwise  ho  is  not  a  benevolent  being.  Now, 
to  any  that  God  regards  his  own  happiness  infinitely  more  than  he  does  that 
on  which  all  his  own  happiness  depends,  is  manifestly  not  true.  Tho  propo 
sition  rests  on  tho  uup|Kwition,  that  God  has  a  private,  selfish  happiness,  not 
consisting  in  benevolence  and  beneficence ;  which,  though  implied,  will  not 
be  avowed. 

"  8.  God  is  not  above  all  obligation  to  his  creatures,  (vol.  i.  p.  55,)  unless  by 
obligation  be  meant  something  which  implies  dependence,  subjection  to 
power,  and  exposure  to  punishment  Doubtless  it  would  be  as  really  sinful 
and  wicked  for  God  to  atniso  a  creature,  us  for  a  creature  to  abuse  God;  and 
surely  wickedness  is  a  violation  of  moral  obligation. 

"!>.  The  proof  of  the  moral  perfections  of  God  no-ems  to  bo  defective. 

"  10.  I  conceive  that  future  existence  may  bo  made  nn  end,  (vol.  i.  n.  72,) 
and  that  tho  then  future,  perfect  creation  was  tho  real  end  for  whicn  God 
created  every  thing.  God  makes  himself  his  end,  ns  ho  makes  his  happiness 
his  end.  Hut  the  happiness  which  ho  makes  his  end,  is  tho  happiness  which 
he  takes  in  bonevolenro  and  beneficence,  or  tho  happiness  which  ho  takes  in 
the  perfect  anil  highest  happiness  of  tho  crentod  universe.  Ho  that  to  make 
himself  his  end,  and  to  make  the  happiness  of  the  creation  his  end,  is  perfectly 
ono  and  tho  same  thing.  Yet,  if  I  understand  Dr.  Hopkins,  ho  does  not  view 
it  thus,  or,  at  least,  his  expressions  imply  the  contrary. 

"11.  I  wish  tho  conjecture  concerning  the  particular  kind  of  probation  of 
the  angels  (vol.  i.  pp.  17H,  174)  wcro  omitted;  it  is  moro  suitable  to  Paradise 
Irtst  tluin  to  a  System  of  Divinity.  A  systematic  divine  has  no  liccntia 
poctiai.  Tho  same  I  may  observe  concerning  what  is  said  of  the  gift  of  lan 
guage  to  Adam,  and  some  things  concerning  the  tree  of  life.  At  least,  I 
wish  conjectures  were  advanced  as  conjectures,  and  not  as  if  they  wcro 
grunted  truths. 

"  12.  Tho  first  sin  of  Adam  no  more,  in  its  own  nature,  tended  to  all  sin, 
than  the  first  act  of  holiness  in  a  regenerate  man  tends  to  all  holiness. 

"  1M.  Dr.  Hopkins  considers  Adam's  sin  as  tho  sin  of  all  mankind,  and 
supposes  that  his  posterity  were  considered  by  God  as  sinners  in  consequence 
of  Adam's  sin.  Hut  Gocl  is  not  deceived ;  ho  does  not  consider  them  ns 
sinners,  unless  they  really  be  sinners.  Hut  they  nre  not  really  sinners,  before 
they  are  guilty  of  personal  sin.  (Vol.  i.  pp.  212,  213.) 

"  14.  Ho  takes  it  ns  nn  nxiom,  that  every  moral  creature  is  dependent  on 
God  for  nil  his  moral  exercises.  (Vol.  i.  p.  21!>.)  Is  this  fair,  when  it  is  so 
much  disputed? 

"  15.  Adam,  in  his  first  sin,  no  more  wished  all  men  to  tin  thnn  every  §in- 
ncr  wishes  this,  in  every  sin. 
r 


206  MEMOIR. 

"  10,  Loving  stlfaa  aclf,  is  to  mo  an  obscure  and  unhappy  expression.  I 
presume  what  is  meant,  is  what  President  Edwards  meant.,  by  loving  that 
happiness  which  consists  in  such  gratifications  as  are  entirely  private  and 
personal,  not  implying  any  benevolence ;  such  as  the  pleasure  of  eating  and 
drinking,  rest,  venery,  gratified  ambition,  &c. 

"  17,  That  tho  lowest  degree  of  Holf-lovo  is  wrong,  is  not  true,  unless  srlf' 
love,  bo  used  in  an  uncommon  sense.  Will  it  bo  said  that  tho  lowest  degree 
of  regard  to  tho  pleasure  of  eating  and  drinking,  of  matrimony,  nnd  of  a  good 
ri'ptitution,  is  wrong?  Regard  to  these  pleasures  in  whnt  President  Edwards 
meant  l>y  self-love,  nnd  I  believe  is  commonly  meant.  Hut,  no  doubt,  Adnm, 
bnfore  ho  fell,  hnd  some  regard  to  tbewo  pleasures,  yet  not  a  supreme  regard. 
])r.  Hopkins  seems  to  menu  bv  self-love,  a  supremo  regard  to  them.  No 
doubt  tno  lowest  degree  of  this  is  wrong. 

"  18.  l)r,  Ilopkinn  seems  to  represent,  that  fuith  not  only  implies  love  to 
God,  repentance,  benevolence  to  men,  &.c.,  but  tint  it  is  the  very  same  thing, 

"  1S>.  He  seems  to  go  too  far  into  the  idea,  that  Adam's  sin  is  the  sin  of  all 
hia  posterity,  and  that  they  consent  to  that  sin;  yet  they  no  more  consent  to 
that  sin  than  they  do  to  the  sin  of  Joseph's  brethren,  or  any  othor  sin.* 

'"-20,  Is  there  not  an  inconsistency  in  holding,  that  all  the  children  of 
believers  are  included  in  the  covenant  with  thrir  parent.*,  and  therefore  arc  to 
be  baptized  ;  and  yet  holding  that  no  children  are  entitled  to  the  promises  of 
the. covenant,  but  the  children  of  those  believers  who  nre  fuithhil,  who  are 
allowed  to  be  but  few,  of  even  real  believers?  And  since  wo  do  not  know 
who  are  or  will  be  faithful,  how  CMI  we  know  who  have  a  right  to  baptism  for 
their  children;  especially  since  professing  Christians  do  not  profess  the  high 
decree  of  faithfulness  which  is  requisite?  Nor,  indeed,  is  there  a  foundation 
for  them  to  profess  or  promise  it,  since  God  has  not  promised  it  to  them. 

"til.  In  p.  1^1  of  vol.  ii.,  there  appears  to  be  a  contradiction:  'Though 
they  may  not  be  what  they  appear  to  be  [holy] ;'  'though  there  be  710  reason 
to  believe  that  they  are  nil  such.' 

"tW,  That  freedom  or  liberty  consists  in  volition,  seems  to  me  not  true.  Ex 
ternal  liberty  is  not  notion,  and  why  should  internal?  A  man  may  be  oxter- 
nnlly  free  who  does  not  act  at  all;  and  why  may  not  he  be  free  internally, 
with  respect  to  that  concerning  which  he  1ms  no  present  volition?  Kxtennl 
liberty  is  purely  negative,  implying  tho  absence  of  obstacles.  So  the  liberty 
of  tho  will  is  the  absence  of  natural  necessity.  Otherwise,  tho  unregcnernto 
have  no  liberty  to  love  G'od,  &c.,  &.<*. 

"yil,  1  do  not  believe  that,  before  the  millennium,  my  neighbor  will  kill  me 
because  I  am  a  Calvinist,  nnd  I  kill  him  because  he  is  an  Arminian.  This 
wns  the  fashion  of  Queen  Mary's  time;  hut  the  fashion  in  antiquated,  and  not 
likely  to  return. 

"'*M.  I  hear,  you -intend  to  insert  your  section  on  being  willing  to  be  damned.! 

*  Throughout  his  journal,  Hopkins  nlludes  often  to  hii  fnvorilo  iden,  that  Adam's  sin 
is  ours  IwmiiHO  we  consent  to  il,  and  tliiit  nit  Irniinproisioiift  may  Itc  imputed  to  us,  pro- 
vided  lliat  we  volunlnrily  delight  in  llioin.  Numcroiu  passages  nmy  be  lound,  liko  ili<* 
following  : 

«  If  nny  ohjppt,  thai  they  nro  umlono  l>y  iho  sin  of  Adam,  they  mny  l>c  tol<l  tint  when 
ever  they  disapprove  of  [i.  «.,  huic,  refnuo  to  iinilnto]  llio  sin  of  Adnm,  tliey  sliall  not  l>e 
hurl  l>y  it ;  but  bo  delivered  from  all  the  evil  consequences  of  it,  niid  be  saved,  nnd  be 
more  htippy  forever  than  if  he  had  not  sinned." 

"  Rom.  ii.  1,  2,  t.Vc,-—  The  apostle  here  suppose*  nnd  assorts,  thnt  every  impenitent, 
wicked  man  does  thf  >nmi>.  thing*  which  llie  most  corrupt  nnd  openly  wicked  do.  Kvery 
nllowed  act  of  «in  npprovcs  of  nil  sin.  He  who  hates  his  brother,  is  n  murderer;  who 
looks  on  n  woninn  to  lint  nfter  her  in  his  heart,  is  an  ndnlterer.  He  who  is  under  th>% 
povernmpnt  of  self-love,  has  the  root  of  nil  wickedness,  nnd  i«  tmbnjo  practises  all  the 
•ins  which  men  do  or'cnn  commit." 

This  idea  lies  nt  the  bnsis  of  Ilopkins's  theory  of  imputation,  nlUiough  gomo  of  his 
phrnsos  nppenr  to  be  inconiiitont  with  this  ns  the  fundamental  principle  of  tho  theory. 

\  In  the  socond  edition. 


MEMOIR.  207 

I  have  mentioned  it  to  all  tho  ministers  of  this  neighborhood,  friendly  to  the 
System,  and  they  all  wish  it  may  not  bo  inserted ;  [in]  particular,  Mr.  Upson. 
The  System  is  now  in  credit,  and  I  wish  nothing  may  be  done  to  hurt  the 
credit  of  it,  and  to  prevent  its  doing;  pood.  Tho  enemies  of  tho  truth  will 
take  advantage  of  that  section,  and  triumph.  Now,  they  aro  silent.  Besides, 
it  would  ho  an  injury  to  tho  property  of  riiotnns  &  Andrews;  and  certainly 
they,  by  asking  you  to  correct  it,  do  not  imagine  that  you  are  empowered  to 
hurt  the  sale  of  tho  work.  If  they  did,  tlioy  would  not  suffer  you  to  tnoddlo 
with  it.  Indeed,  I  think  you  ciimiot  insert  that  unction,  consistently  with  jus 
tice  to  thorn.  I  will  subscribe  for  half  a  doxcn,  if  you  will  print  that  section 
in  a  separate  pamphlet  I  wish  tlio  Dedication  to  tho  Millcnnarians  [vol.  ii. 
p.  '2'21]  worn  left  out;  it  is  too  funciful. 

"  These,  dear  sir,  are  tho  principal  remarks  which  I  have  made.  An  tho 
hearer  is  going,  I  can  only  add,  that  with  great  esteem  and  sincere  friend 
ship,  I  am  yours,  JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 

"  Dock  Hopkins." 

These  ure  the  criticisms  of  one  of  the  most  keen-eyed  Reviewers 
of  his  own  or  of  nny  clay.  They  arc  the  results  of  an  examination, 
which  ho  umdc  for  the  express  purpose  of  finding  in  tho  volumes  of 
Hopkins  every  fault,  which  the  pupil  would  desire  his  teacher  to 
remove.  They  were*  made,  as  they  were  received,  in  tho  spirit  of 
honest  and  indis.soluhlo  friendship.  There  was,  probably,  no  theo 
logical  System  extant,  to  which  the  sharp-minded  critic  would  huvo 
proposed  so  small  n  number  of  objections.  The  fact  that  tho  criti 
cisms  of  such  a  man  on  n  work  of  such  extent,  are  so  few,  and  so  far 
from  being  fundamental,  is  one  of  the  most  pleasing  encomiums 
which  tho  work  could  have  received. 

To  SOUK;  it  may  appear  singular,  that  Dr.  I'Mwards  should  dare  to 
imply  that  the  System  of  Hopkins  was  imaginative  in  tho  slightest 
degree.  There  aro  hundreds  of  expressions,  however,  in  the  System, 
which  indicate  a  simplicity  of  character,  a  childlike  feeling,  seldom 
belonging  to  an  abstruse  logician.  Thus,  in  reasoning  against  tho 
idea,  that  tho  saint's  of  heaven  will  return  and  dwell  bodily  in  tho 
world,  during  the  millennium,  lie  says:  "They  would  take  up  that 
room  in  the  earth,  which  will  he  then  wanted  for  those  who  will  be 
born  in  that  day."  — Works,  Vol.  ii.  p.  2M.  In  objecting  to  the 
personal  reign  of  Christ  on  earth,  during  the  millennium,  he  says, 
that  the  Messiah  is  now  "  in  the  most  proper,  agreeable,  and  con 
venient  situation,  to  govern  the  world  mid  take  care  of  his  church." 
—  Ih.  p.  2(>J.  Our  author  teaches,  that  Adam  «»  was  created  on'the 
latter  part  of  the  sixth  day,  but  soon  fell  into  a  deep  sleep,  and  had 
no  great  enjoyment  or  thought  till  the  next  day." — Ib.  p.  88. 

This  stern  metaphysician  made  no  attempt  to  adorn  his  volumes 
with  poetic  imagery.  But  if  a  man  like  liyron  could  be  induced  to 
read  the  System  of  Hopkins,  and  to  look  through  its  unpolished  style, 
he  would  detect  in  it  the  elements  of  a  poetic  grandeur  and  sub 
limity.  "  It  gives  me,"  says  Byron, — and  ho  often  repeated  similar 
remarks,  —  »  n  much  higher  idea  of  the  majesty,  power,  und  wisdom 
of  God,  to  believe  that  the  devils  themselves  uro  at  his  nod,  ond  are 


203  MEMOIR. 

subject  to  his  control,  with  as  much  ea»o  as  tho  elements  of  nature 

follow  the  respective  laws  which  his  will  has  assigned  them."  •  Now, 
a  prominent  feature  of  Hopkins's  System  of  Divinity  is,  the  su 
premacy  and  dominion  which  it  ascribes  to  the  Eternal  One.  Per 
haps  no  woiA  has  n  more  uniform  aim  to  exalt  the  Creator,  and  to 
abuse  the  creature.  Here  is  seen  the  depth  and  fervor  of  the  author's 
religious  sentiment,  and  this  sentiment  is  one  of  the  fountains  of 
poetry. 

Fur  be  it  from  nny  critic  to  imp!;,  that  Snmuet  Hopkins  ever 
sacrificed  his  judgment  to  his  imagination.  AYe  err,  however,  when 
we  surmise  that  he  had  no  imaginative  tendencies.  No  one  burn 
of  woman  is  without  them.  A  decided  opposcr  of  his  System  has 
remarked  concerning  him  : 

"Ilia  doctrines,  indeed,  throw  dark  colors  ovor  tho  world  around  him  ;  but 
ho  took  refuge;  from  tho  present  state  of  things  in  tho  Millennium,  Tho 
Millennium  was  his  chosen  ground.  If  nny  subject  of  thought  possessed 
him  nbovo  all  others,  I  suppose  it  to  havo  been  this.  The  Millennium  was 
moro  than  a  belief  to  him.  It  had  the  freshness  of  visible  tilings.  He  was 
nt  homo  in  it.  His  book  on  tho  subject  has  an  air  of  reality,  ns  if  written  from 
observation.  lie  describes  tho  habits  and  customs  of  the  Millennium,  as  ono 
familiar  with  them.  He  enjoyed  this  future  glory  of  the  church  not  a  whit 
the  less,  because  it  was  so  much  his  own  creation.  The  fundamental  idea, 
tho  germ,  he  found  in  the  Scriptures,  but  it  expanded  in  and  from  his  own 
mind.  Whilst  to  the  multitude  lie  seemed  a  hard,  dry  theologian,  feeding  on 
tho  thorns  of  controversy,  ho  was  living  in  a  region  of  imagination,  feeding  on 
visions  of  a  holiness  and  a  happiness  which  arc  to  make  earth  all  but  heaven."  f 

Hopkins  was,  above  most  others,  a  prosaic  divine;  hut  there  is 
n  poetic  grandeur  in  the  very  thought,  that  on  indigent  and'  often 
invalid  pastor,  after  having  been  reproached  and  persecuted  for  half 
n  century,  should  waver  not  n  hair's  breadth  from  his  obnoxious 
faith  ;  and  in  his  extreme  age  hhould  publish  it,  without  a  single 
attempt  to  Hihduu  its  otl'ensive  features,  or  to  wirl  patronage  or 
renown;  and,  with  a  seemingly  pure  aim  to  glorify  his  Sovereign, 
should  insist,  sternly  us  ever,  on  u  reverence  for  the  unconditional 
decrees,  and  the  every  where  penetrating  agency  of  that  august 
Being.  It  is  pleasant,  as  well  as  instructive,  to  know  that  this  dis 
interested  love  of  all  that  he  deemed  true,  was  rewarded  with  the 
esteem  of  tho  wise  and  good;  and  that  the  IJody  of  Divinity  on 
which  our  author  had  expended  his  maturer  years,  was  ushered  into 
tho  world  with  the  approval,  after  a  most  rigid  review,  of  the  three 
men  whose  position  and  relations  gave  them  an  untisual  influence 
over  the  mind  of  Hopkins.  There  were  no  three  men  living,  whose 
sympathy  was  more  gratifying  to  this  early  friend  mid  brother  of 
President  Edwards  and  Bellamy,  than  tho  three  \\lio  gave  their 
careful  sanction  to  his  System  :  ono  of  them,  President  Edwards's 

*  Gall's  Life  of  Byron,  p.  27G. 

t  Channin^'s  Works,  vol.  iv.  p.  353. 


/ 

MEMOIR.  209 

son  ;  another  of  them,  President  Edwards's  successor  in  the  ministry 
at  Stockbridge,  the  revered  "  Patriarch  of  Berkshire  County ; " 
another,  the  son-in-law,  and  for  many  years  the  intimate  companion, 
of  Bellamy.  These  men  were  the  representatives  of  a  strong  and 
resolute  body  of  clergymen,  whose  influence  has  been  felt  in  our 
own  mid  in  other  lands. 

We  by  no  means  intend  to  imply,  that  there  was  no  public  oppo 
sition  to  this  most  important  of  Hopkins's  writings.  Among  the 
pamphlets  which  appeared  against  it  was  the  following : 

"Remarks  on  tho  Loading  Sentiments  in  tho  Reverend  Dr.  Hopkins's 
System  of  Doctrines,  in  a  Letter  to  a  Friend,  from  Samuel  Langdon,  D.  D. 
Published  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  for  the  Author.  Printed  at  Exeter, 
by  Henry  Ranlett,  for  and  wold  by  the  Author ;  sold  also  by  most  of  tho  Hook- 
Kellers  in  New  England,  and  by  the  Printer  hereof.  April,  17!M."  pp.  5<>. 

President  Langdon,  in  this  pamphlet,  accuses  Dr.  Hopkins  of 
44  artful  reasoning,"  of  "  an  artful  way  of  summing  up  the  whole 
character  of  the  great  God  of  love,"  '4  of  venturing  boldly  into 
logical  speculations,"  of  agreeing  too  much  with  Dr.  Priestly  on  tho 
subject  of  the  will,  of  "scholastic  speculations,"  44  over-curious  in 
quiries,"  44  cobweb  schemes,"  etc.,  etc.  He  says  that  Hopkins  "  has 
prepared  a  balloon  which  mounts  him  very  high  into  the  ethereal  re 
gions,  until  he  almost  loses  sight  of  earth."  In  this  single  pamphlet 
of  the  worthy  President,  he  has  anticipated  many  phrases  of  succeed 
ing  but  less  original  critics.  It  is  almost  amusing  to  notice  the  style, 
in  which  the  old  patriarch  of  Rhode  Island  received  these  criticisms 
of  Dr.  Langdon.  "  He  finds  much  fault,"  says  Hopkins,  "but  has 
not  written  so  as  to  mortify  me  in  the  least."  <4  If  a  thousand 
pamphlets  were  to  be  written  to  no  better  purpose,  I  should  think 
them  not  worthy  an  answer." 

J.    Dialogue  on  Disinterested  Sulmiission. 

Dr.  Hopkins  wrote  several  essays  on  the  duty  of  entire  resigna 
tion  to  the  will  of  God.  One  of  them,  which  was  written  several 
years  before  his  death,  was  not  published  until  two  years  after  it. 
The  treatise  was  entitled  «*  A  Dialogue  between  a  Calvinist  and  a 
Scmi-Calvinist."  It  occupied  only  twenty-six  duodecimo  pages,  but 
has  probably  elicited  more  prejudice  against  its  author,  than  has  been 
excited  by  all  his  other  writings,  except  those  on  tho  divine  govern 
ment  over  sin.  Yet  his  speculations  on  this  subject  illustrate  the  in 
trepidity,  with  which  he  followed  the  principles  of  Calvinistic  authors 
to  their  logical  conclusions.  With  what  a  firm  tread  he  moves  on, 
from  the  proposition  that  men  ought  to  feel  as  God  feels,  to  tho 
proposition,  that  if  God  wills  them  to  be  lost,  they  ought  to  acquiesce 
in  his  preference.  They  should  be  willing  to  lose  their  eternal  life, 
provided  that,  and  in  the  same  sense  that  God  is  willing  that  they 
r* 


210  MEMOIR. 

lose  it.  Tney  ought  to  submit  to  their  own  condemnation,  provided 
that,  and  in  the  same  sense  that  they  ought  to  submit  to  the  condem 
nation  of  those  fellow-creatures,  whom  God  may  in  tiny  sense  choose 
to  condemn.  They  ought  to  love  neither  sin  nor  misery,  ns  such; 
but  ought  to  bo  resigned  to  nny  and  all  evils,  so  far  forth  as  these 
evils  are  essential  to  the  highest  good  of  the  universe,  and  are  there 
fore  willed  by  the  Holy  One.  In  whatever  sense  P'UI  and  misery  are 
not  conducive  to  the  general  welfare,  wo  Hhould  not  feel  resigned  to 
them,  either  in  our  own  or  in  other  persons.  Dr.  Samuel  Miller 
seems  to  regard  the  Hopkinsinn  doctrine  of  Disinterested  Submission, 
as  a  logical  result  from  the  Edwardean  theory  on  thto  nature  of  True 
Virtue  ;  *  hut  it  should  rather  ho  regarded  as  a  logical  result  from  the 
old  Calvinistic  principles,  that  («od  in  any  sense  prefers  to  condemn 
transgressors,  and  that  all  men 'ought  to  harmonize  with  rrcry  divine 
preference. 

Such  was  tho  habitual  view  of  Dr.  Hopkins.  He  never  claimed 
to  have  done  any  thing  more  on  this  subject,  than  to  have  drawn  a 
simple  inference  from  admitted  principles,  and  he  regarded  this  in 
ference  as  nothing  new.t  The  few  pages  of  his  Dialogue  give  a 
remarkable  exemplification  of  his  entire  theological  character.  Ho 
treated  the  apostle's  words  in  Rom.  ix.  tt,  on  the  principle  so  often 
sanctioned  by  Calvinistic  writers,  that  "  it  is  wife  to  speak  according 
to  the  Scriptures  ;  and  so  far  as  any  man  does  not,  it  is  because,  in 
that  instance,  there  is  no  light  in  him."  $  Dr.  Patten  narrates  tho 
following  incident : 

"A  minister  of  Home  eminence,  from  a  distance,  possessed  of  great  zeal, 
camo  to  Newport,  and  tho  writer  invited  him  to  preiich  for  him.  la  his  ser 
mons  ho  denounced  what  wero  considered  Hopkinsian  doctrines,  n«  very 
erroneous  and  absurd.  On  Monday  morning,  the  writer  inquired  if  ho  had 
any  wish  to  see  Dr.  Hopkins.  He  expressed  his  assent,  On  being  intro 
duced,  he  snid,  in  a  very  frank,  or  rather  abrupt  manner,  'I  want,  J)r.  Hop 
kins,  a  statement  from  you  of  the  most  important  arguments  in  favor  of  your 
doctrine,  that  men  ought  to  be.  trilling  to  bt  damned  far  the.  glory  of  God  !* 
'  Why,'  said  Dr.  Hopkins,  'do  you  call  it  mint'}'  '  Uocauae,'  replied  the 
stranger,  'it  is  ascribed  to  you,  and  I  presume  you  prcnch  it'  'I  do  not  rec 
ollect,'  said  Dr.  Hopkins,  'that.  I  ever  used  those  expressions  in  a  Hermon,  in 
my  life,  or  that  I  maintain  a  doctrine  which  has  not  been  expressed  by  other 
orthodox  divincH,  and  which  is  not  scriptural,  and  therefore  [it  is]  not  my 
doctrine.'  The  di vines  to  whom  he  might  refer,  are,  Dr.  Cotton  Mather  ia 
his  article  in  his  diary  on  a  private  fast,  and  Dr.  Doddridge  in  his  Penitent 
in  the  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion,  and  various  others,  who  express  tho 
npirit  of  tho  doctrine  OH  maintained  by  Dr.  Hopkins." § 

It  has  been  supposed  by  some,  that  our  author  loaded  his  sermons 
with  the  phraseology,  "  men  must  be  willing  to  be  damned ; "  but 
according  to  the  preceding  .statement,  he  adopted  for  the  pulpit  a 

*  P«c«  Miller'*  Life  of  Ktlwnrd*,  p.  244. 

f  See  a  guggcgtian  of  tho  inference,  on  p.  22  of  thil  Memoir. 

t  Hopkins'*  System,  vol.  i.  p.  'kTO. 

$  Fallen's  Reminiscences,  pp.  98,  99. 


MEMOIR.  211 

different  style  from  that  which  ho  admitted  into  his  Dialogue.  It 
has  been  also  supposed,  that  he  pressed  upon  all  disciples,  old  and 
young,  the  duty  of  a  conscious  willingness  to  be  lost.  But  it  is  the 
testimony  of  some  valuable  witnesses,  that  while  ho  believed  this  duty 
to  be  involved  in  all  hearty  submission  to  the  divine  government,  he 
did  not  expect  that  nil  who  were  truly  pious  would  be  distinctly  con 
scious  of  having  performed  it ;  ho  did  not  expect  that  all  youthful, 
or  uninstructcd,  or  inistaught,  or  feeble  Christians  would  analyze 
their  consciousness  so  thoroughly  as  to  detect  this  grnce,  although  it 
was  an  element  in  every  act  of  their  self-consecration.  It  in  said 
that  he  regarded  the  pcrccpt'ilk  and  prominent  exercise  of  the  virtue, 
as  an  attainment  of  the  more  enlightened  or  mature  disciple.* 

There  is  a  striking  resemblance  between  the  feelings  of  Dr.  Hop 
kins  and  the  feelings  of  Fenelon,  Madame  Guion,  and  many  other 
mystics,  with  regard  to  the  endurance  of  pain  for  the  divine  glory. 
It  is  unnatural  for  any  man  to  rise  into  these  heights  of  sentiment 
and  of  reasoning,  unless  he  have  an  ideality  far  above  that  of  the 
masses.  Hopkins,  with  all  his  logic,  had  a  comprehensive  though 
not  an  active  imagination,  and  he  took  into  his  range  the  loftiest  sup 
positions  conceivable.  His  Dialogue  is  a  permanent  refutation  of 
the  slander,  that  Ilopkinsinnhm  Is  a  scheme  of  low  utilitarianism. 
It  is  the  expansive  benevolence  of  his  theology,  which  captivated  the 
enthusiastic  mind  of  dimming;  and  if  Hopkins  had  adorned  his 
sentiments  with  the  graces  of  a  poetic  style,  ho  would  have  been  a 
favorite  with  those  imaginative  writers  who  lose  themselves  in  the 
praises  of  a  self-sacrificing  spirit,  of  a  self-forgetful  soul,  swallowed 
up  in  the  well-being  of  the  universe. 

"llin  system,"  says  Ghanninp,  "however  foiirful,  was  yet  bailt  on  a  pen- 
erom  foundation,  lie  maintained  that  all  holiness,  all  moral  excellence, 
consists  in  benevolence,  or  disinterested  devotion  to  the  greatest  pood ;  that 
tliw  is  the  character  of  God ;  that  love  is  the  only  principle  of  the  divino  ad- 
miuHtntion.  lie  taught  that  sin  wan  introduced  into  the  creation,  ami  is^to 
he  everlastingly  punished,  because  evil  in  necessary  to  the  highest  pood.  To 
this  government,  in  which  the  individual  is  surrendered  to  the  well-being  of 
the  whole,  he  required  entire  and  cheerful  submission.  Other  Calvinists 
were  willing,  that  their  neighbors  should  be  predestined  to  everlasting  mis 
ery  for  the  glory  of  God.  Tin's  noble-minded  man  demanded  a  more  generous 
nnd  impartial  virtue,  and  maintained  that  we  should  consent  to  our  own  per 
dition,  should  be  willing  ourselves  to  be  condemned,  if  the  preatest  pood  of 
th->  universe  and  the  manifestation  of  the  divine  perfections  should  so  require. 
Tru?  virtue,  as  bo  tauput,  waa  an  entire  surrender  of  personal  interest  to  Uio 
benevolent  purposes  of  God.  Self-love  he  spared  in  none  of  its  movements. 
He  called  us  to  seek  our  own  happiness  as  well  as  that^of  others,  in  a  spirit 
of  impartial  benovolenco ;  to  do  pood  to  ourselves,  not  from  self-preference, 
not  from  tbo  impulse  of  personal  desires,  but  in  obedience  to  that  sublime  law 
which  require.*  us  to  promote  the  welfare  of  each  and  all  within  our  influence, 
I  need  not  be  ashamed  to  confess  the  deep  impression,  which  thia  system  made 

•  ThU  is  the  testimony  of  several  who  sat  uudcr  hit  ministry,  and  whose  recollection! 
<n  tho  topic  arc  definite,  if  not  correct. 


212  MEMOIR. 

on  my  youthful  mind.  I  am  grateful  to  this  stern  leather,  for  turning 
my  thoughts  and  heart  to  the  claims  and  majesty  of  impartial,  universal 
benevolence."  * 

In  the  snmc  posthumous  volume  which  contained  the  above-named 
Dialogue,  was  published  "A  Serious  Address  to  Professing  Chris 
tians,  in  the  name,  and  from  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ,  recorded  [in] 
Revelation  vi.  15."  This  Address  of  our  author  was  originally  a 
Kcrmon,  and  illustrates  the  practical  character  of  his  pulpit. 

K.     Volume,  of  «Xrr//?o/i.«. 

The  last  theological  work  which  our  author  prepared  for  the 
press,  was  a  volume  of  «»  Twenty-one  Sermons  on  rt  Variety  of  In 
teresting  Subjects,  sentimental  and  practical.  They  were  published 
at  Sulem,  Massachusetts,  in  an  octavo  of  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  pages,  a  short  time  before  his  death,  under  the  auspices  of  his 
brother,  Dr.  Daniel  Hopkins.  "That  they  will  be  printed  in  my 
hfetime,  or  ever,"  says  their  humble  author,  as  soon  ns  he  had  fitted 
them  for  publication,  "  or  whether  they  are  worth  printing,  is  to  me 
very  uncertain."  They  are  worth  printing,  although  they  display  less 
versatility  of  genius  than  is  exhibited  in  his  sermon  to  the  Stock- 
bridge  Indians.!  They  are.  well  worth  reprinting,  as  the  develo|>- 
ments  of  a  singularly  consecutive  logic.  Those  principles  which 
permeate  his  System,  —  that  the  original  cause  or  occasion  of  sin 
cannot  be  itself  sinful,  J  that  sin  is  not  the  punishment  of  sin,  §  that  a 
person  may  bo  ««  guilty  in  those;  exercises  and  that  conduct  in  which 
he  has  no  knowledge  or  consciousness  that  he  in  doing  wrong,"  || 
and  that  if  In?  can  not  learn  the  divine  will,  he  "  is  not  guilty  at  all, 
so  does  not  things  worthy  of  any  stripes,  because  in  this  cast?  his  igno 
rance  is  properly  invintihlc  ;  "^[ — those  and  similar  principles  n  licet 
the  whole  train  of  thought  in  these  discourses.  One  of  our  author's 
successors  in  the  ministry**  has  remarked,  and. every  student  of  this 
volume  will  readily  believe  the  assertion,  that  *'  no  man  ever  insisted 
more  fully  on  both  doctrines,  [divine  sovereignty  and  human  liberty,] 
than  Dr.  Hopkins.  Of  no  man  was  it  more  frequently  said,  that  he 
contradicted  himself  flatly,  than  of  him.  This  charge  always  had 
exclusive  respect  to  the  doctrines  of  ability  and  decrees."  Hopkins 
never  seems  to  have  been  disheartened",  when  accused  of  contradict" 
ing  himself  in  regard  to  these  two  doctrines;  for  he  well  knew  the 
tendency  of  one-sided  men,  to  suppose  that  the  will  is  not  free  if 
God's  agency  be  universal. 

"  riianninp's  Works,  vol.  iv.  pp.  312,  Z\*.  f  Sec  pp.  -16-49  of  iliis  Memoir. 

J  See  System,  vol.  i.  pp.  100-101,  121,  new  edition. 

$   System,  vol.  i.  p.  I'ji,  new  edition.  fl  Ih.  p.  132 

fl  Hopkiim'n  Works,  vol.  iii.  p.  323. 

•*  Hov.  Ciilvin  Hitchcock,  I).  1).,  Randolph,  Ma«.  • 


MEMOIR.  213 

L.    Writings  on  Slavery. 

The  poet  John  G.  Whittier  predicts,  that  "  when  distracted  and 
divided  Christendom  shall  unite  in  a  new  Evangelical  union,  in 
which  orthodoxy  in  life  and  practice  shall  be  estimated  above  ortho 
doxy  in  theory,  he  [Dr.  Hopkins]  will  bo  honored  as  a  good  rnnn, 
rather  than  as  a  successful  creed-maker;  as  a  friend  of  the  oppressed, 
and  the  fearless  rebukcr  of  popular  sin,  rather  than  as  the  champion 
of  a  protracted  sectarian  war."*  The  activity  of  this  divine, 
however,  on  the  subject  of  slavery,  formed,  in  his  own  view,  but  an 
episode  in  his  life.  Still,  could  all  the  letters  which  ho  addressed  on 
this  theme  to  lay  and  clerical  philanthropists  in  Europe  and  America, 
and  could  nil  the  essays  winch  ho  printed  concerning  it  in  thu  news 
papers  of  Rhode  Inland,  Connecticut,  and  Massachusetts,  bo  now 
gathered  up,  they  would  form  no  inconsiderable  volume.  His 
Dialogue,  mentioned  on  p.  117,  and  bis  Sermon,  mentioned  on  p 
Ml  of  this  Memoir,  constitute  but  a  small  part  of  his  writings  on 
the  subject. 

M.    Biographical    Writings- 

I.  At  the  ago  of  forty-one,  out  author  wrote,  and  two  years 
afterward  published,  his  first  biographical  work:  "The  Life  and 
Character  of  the  late  Reverend,  Learned,  and  Pious  Mr.  Jonathan 
Edwards,  President  of  the  College  of  New  Jersey ;  together  with 
Extracts  from  his  Private  Writings  and  Diary.  Boston,  170-1." 
The  Seventeen  Sermons  of  Edwards  which  Hopkins  edited,  wore 
published  in  the  same  volume,  together  with  President  Edwnrds's 
farewell  Sermon  to  his  people  at  Northampton.  A  second  edition 
of  this  volume  was  published  at  Northampton,  in  1K)4.  An  edition 
of  it  was  published  at  Edinburgh,  in  17SK),  under  the  auspices  of  Dr. 
Erskine.  An  English  edition  of  the  volume,  revised  and  enlarged, 
was  published  in  1H15,  in  London.  Hopkins's  Memoir  of  Edwards 
has  served  as  the  basis,  for  the  other  Memoirs  of  that  great  man.  It 
is  a  narrative  by  an  eye-witness  of  the  scenes  described.  The  world 
are  indebted  to  it,  for  the  best  portraiture  of  Edwards  which  was 
ever  drawn  by  a  man  who  knew  him.  One  or  two  of  President 
Edwnrds's  children  objected  to  it  as  incomplete  ;  and  during  the 
lu.st  thirty  years  it  has  fallen  into  unmerited  oblivion.  In  a  coming 
age,  however,  it  will  be  pri/ed  'as  the  result  of  a  confidential  inter 
course  with  the  father  of  New  England  theology. 

There  aru  many  facts  recorded  in  this  Memoir,  which  give  us  a 
vivid  idea  of  President  Edwards  as  a  man,  and  which  arc  doubly 
valuable,  as  the  same  or  very  similar  facts  arc  reported  concerning 

•  National  Era,  July  12,  1817, 


214    .  MEMOIR. 

Dr.  Hopkins   himself.     Thus  we  rend  in  the  biographer's  simple- 
hearted  and  honest  style,  that: 

u  Ho  kept  a  watchful  cyo  over  his  children,  that  ho  might  admonish  them 
of  ti\cjirst  wrong  step,  and  direct  them  in  the  right  way.  He  took  opportuni 
ties  to  treat  with  them  in  his  study,  singly  and  particularly,  about  tneir  own. 
souls'  concerns,  and  to  give  them  warning,  exhortation,  and  direction,  as  ho 
8aw  occasion,  He  took  much  pains  to  instruct  them  irt  the  principles  of 
religion ;  in  which  he  mado  UHO  of  tho  .'/.wwWjf/*  Shorter  Caic drism :  not 
merely  hy  taking  care  that  they  learned  it  by  heart,  but  by  leading  them  into 
an  understanding  of  the  doctrines  therein  taught,  by  asking  them  questions  on 
ench  answer,  and  explaining  it  to  them.  His  usual  time  to  attend  this,  was  on 
the  evening  before  the  Sabbath.  And,  as  lie  believed  that  the  Sabbath,  or  holy 
time,  began  at  sunset  the  evening  before  tho  day,  he  ordered  his  family  to 
finish  all  their  secular  business  by  that  time,  or  before,  when  they  were  all 
called  together,  nnd  a  psalm  was  sung  and  prayer  attendee?,  as  an  introduction 
to  the?  sanctifying  the  Sabbath.  This  care  and  exactness  t?  fleet  ually  prevent 
ed  that  intruding  on  holy  time,  by  attending  on  secular  business,  too  common 
in  families  where  the  evening  before  the  Subbuth  is  prete-tuled  to  be  observed. 

"  He  was  a  great  enemy  to  young  people's  unseasonable  company-keeping 
nnd  frolicking,  as  he  looked  upon  it  ns  a  great  means  of  corrupting  nnd  ruin 
ing  youth.  And  he  thought  the  excuse  many  parents  make  for  tolerating 
their  children  in  it,  (viz.,  that  it  is  the  custom,  and  others'  children  practise  it, 
which  renders  it  difficult,  and  even  impossible,  to  restrain  theirs,)  was  insuf 
ficient  and  frivolous,  nnd  manifested  a  great  degree  of  stupidity,  on  suppo 
sition  the  practice  was  hurtful  and  pernicious  to  their  souls.  And  when  some 
of  his  children  grew  up,  he  found  no  difficulty  in  restraining  them  from  this 
pernicious  practice,  but  they  cheerfully  complied  with  the  will  of  their  parents 
herein.  lie  allowed  not  his  children  to  be  from  horn"  after  nine  o'clock  at 
night,  wh»M\  they  went  abroad  to  see  their  friends  and  companions ;  neither 
were  they  allowed  to  sit  up  much  after  that  time,, in  his  own  house,  when-  any 
came  to  make  them  a  visit.  If  any  gentleman  desired  acquaintance  with  his 
daughters,  after  handsomely  introducing  himself,  by  properly  consulting  tho 
parents,  lie  was  allowed  all  proper  opportunity  for  it,  nnd  a  room  and  fire,  if 
needed;  but  must  not,  intrude  on  tho  proper  hours  of  rest  nnd  sleep,  nor  tho 
religion. and  order  of  the  family."  * 

II.  At  tho  nge  of  seventy-five,  our  author  puhlisltcd  '•  Tho  Life 
and  Character  of  Miss  Susanna  Anthony.  —  Worcester,  1700." 

III.  At  tho  ngo  of  seventy-eight,  lie   published  "  Memoirs  of  tho 
Life   of  Mrs.   Sarah   Oshorn.  —  Worcester,   ITiKV*     This   nnd   tho 
preceding  volume  consist  chiefly  of  extracts  from  the  writings  of  the 
women  to  whom  they  are  devoted.     They  have  an  historical  worth, 
as  illustrating  the  ntylo  of  piety  which  was  cultivated  under  the  min 
istrations  of  our  author. 

IV.  Two  years  after  his  death,  was   published  u  duodecimo   of 
two  hundred  and  forty  pages,  entitled,   "Sketches  of  the  Life  of  the 
late  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  D.  I).,  Pastor  of  the  First  Congregational 
Church  in  Newport,  written  by  himself;  Interspersed  with  Marginal 
Notes  extracted  from  his  Private  Diary  :  to  which  is  added  a  Dialogue, 
by  the  same  hand,  on  the  Nature  nnd  Extent  of  True  Christian  Sul>- 
mission  ;  also,  a  Serious  Address  to  Professing  Christians  :  closed  by 

*  Life  of  Edwards,  pp.  50,  51,  Edinburgh  edition. 


MEMOIR.  215 

Dr.  Hart's  Sermon  at  his  Funeral;  with  an  Introduction  to  the 
whole,  by  the  Editor.  Published  by  Stephen  West,  D.  D.,  Pastor 
of  the  church  in  Stockbridge.  [Printed  in]  Hurtford,"  [Conn.]  The 
Autobiography  occupies  a  hundred  and  fifteen  pages.  It  was  com 
posed  in  179G  and  1799.  Its  style  is  one  of  singular  condensation, 
and  breathes  all  the  honesty  and  lowliness,  although,  alas !  none  of 
the  grace  of  Iznak  Walton.  Soon  after  its  publication,  it  was  very 
severely  reviewed  by  Ilev.  Joseph  S.  Buckminstcr,  in  the  Anthology. 
Not  having  been  personally  acquainted  with  Dr.  Hopkins,  Mr.  Buck- 
minster  speaks  of  him  with  far  less  reverence  than  is  exhibited  in 
the  criticisms  of  Dr.  Channing;  although  both  of  these  writers 
"  shrunk  with  abhorrence  "  from  the  Hopkinsian  tenets. 

N.    Editorial  Labors. 

Our  author  was  urged  to  edit  the  writings  of  President  Edwards 
by  the  President's  widow,  her  eldest  son,  and  her  son-in-law,  the 
father  of  Dr.  Dwight.  He  was  probably  induced  to  undertake  tho 
work,  by  the  known  wishes  of  his  revered  teacher.  We  are  told  by 
Dr.  Patten,  that  »*  by  request  of  Mr.  Edwards,  all  his  [Mr.  E.V] 
manuscripts  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Hopkins.  These,  not 
including  his  sermons,  amounted  to  many  volumes.  Ho  considered  it 
not  a  little  to  his  credit,  compared  with  many  ministers  who  have 
books  but  do  not  road  them,  that  he  gave  all  the  manuscripts  a 
perusal.  This  he  did,  not  us  a  task,  but  as  a  gratification."*  He 
is  said,  on  good  authority,  to  have  spent  six  years  mainly  in  the  study 
and  preparation  of  these  manuscripts.  In  17(>4,  he  thus  describes 
the  labor  which  had  been  devolved  upon  him  : 

"  Mr.  Edwards  has  loft  n  great  miny  volumes  in  manuscript,  which  ho  wroto 
in  a  miscellaneous  way  on  almost  all  subjects  in  divinity ;  which  ho  did,  not 
with  any  design  they  should  ever  ho  published  in  the,  form  in  which  they  uro, 
hut  for  the  satisfaction  and  improvement  of  hU  own  mind,  ami  that  ho  might 

retain  the  thoughts  which  appeared  to  him  worth  preserving. He  linn 

wroto  much  on  tho  prophecies  of  the  Messiah,  justification,  the  divinity  of 
Christ,  and  tho  eternity  of  hell  torments.  He  wroto  a  great  deal  on  the  JJihle, 
in  the  sa.me  way,  by  penning  his  thoughts  on  particular  passages  of  it,  as  they 
occurred  to  him  in  reading  or  meditation;  by  which  he  has  cast  much  light  on 
many  parts  of  tho  lliblo,  which  has  escaped  other  interpreters,  nud  by  which 
his  great  and  painful  attention  to  the  Bible,  and  making  it  the  only  rule  of 
his  t'aith,  are  manifest. 

"  If  the  public  were  willing  to  be  nt  the  cost,  and  publishing  books  of  divinity 
met  with  as  much  encouragement  now  as  it  has  sometimes,  there  might  bo  a 
number  of  volumes  published  from  his  manuscripts,  which  would  afford  a 
great  deal  of  new  light  and  entertainment  to  the  church  of  Christ ;  though 
they  would  be  more  imperfect  than  if  he  himself  had  prepared  them  for  pub 
lie  view. 

"  As  the  method  ho  took,  to  have  his  miscellaneous  writings  in  such  order 
as  to  be  able  with  case  to  turn  to  any  tiling  ho  had  wrote  upon  a  particular 

*  Patten's  Reminiscences,  p.  45. 


210  MEMOIR. 

subject,  when  he  had  occasion,  is,  perhaps,  as  good  as  any,  if  not  the  bci-t  that 
has  been  proposed  to  the  public,  —  some  account  of  it  will  here  be  given;  aa 
what  may  bo  of  advantage  to  young  students  who  have  not  yet  gone  into  any 
method,  and  are  disposed  to  imnrovc  their  minds  by  writing1* 

"Ha  numbered  all  his  miscellaneous  writings.  The  first  thing1  ho  wrote  is 
No.  1 ;  the  second,  No.  2;  mid  BO  on.  And  when  he  had  occasion  to  write 
on  any  particular  subject,  he  first  set  down  the  number,  arid  then  wrote  tho 
subject  in  capitals  or  large  characters,  that  it  might 'not  cscnno  his  eye  when 
ho  should  have  occasion  to  turn  to  it.  As,  for  instance,  if  he  was  going  to 
write  on  the  happiness  of  angels,  and  his  last  number  was  148,  he  would 
begin  thus:  14!).  ANOF.LS,  THEIR  HAI>I>I.NESS.  And  when  Ijc  had  wrote  what 
he  designed  at  that  time  on  that  subject,  he  would  turn  to  an  alphabetical  tablo 
which  he  kept,  and  under  the  letter  A,  he  would  write,  A.NOKLS,  THF.IR  MAITI- 
if  ESS,  —  if  this  was  not  already  in  his  alphabet ;  and  then  sot  down  the  number 
14!),  close  at  the  right  hand  of  it.  And  if  he  had  occasion  to  write  any  new 
thoughts  on  the  same  subject,  if  the  number  of  his  miscellanies  were  in 
creased,  so  that  his  last  number  was  2(51,  he  would  set  the  number  2(52,  and 
then  tho  Hubjrrt  an  bcforo.  And  when  ho  had  dnnn  writing  for  that  time,  ho 
turned  to  his  tahlo,  to  the  word  ANUKI.S  ;  and  at  Ou*  right  hiind  of  the  number 
14!),  set  down  2(i'J.  My 'this  weans  he  had  no  occasion  to  leave  any  chasms, 
but  began  his  next  subject  whore  he  left  off  his  last. 

"The  number  of  his  miscellaneous  writings  ranged  in  tin*  manner,  amounts 
to  above  fourteen  hundred.  And  yet,  by  a  table  contained  on  a  sheet  or  two 
of  paper,  any  thing  he  wrote  can  be  turned  to  at  pleasure."  * 

It  is  an  interesting  fuct,  that  the  first  printed  volume  for  which 
Mr.  Hopkins  felt  any  personal  responsibility,  was  Edwards  on  Origi 
nal  Sin.  This  treatise  was  published  in  175H,  before  Mr.  Hopkins 
bad  written  any  tbing  for  the  press,  except  in  the  newspapers.  A 
few  sheets  of  the  volume  bad  been  printed,  several  months  before 
President  Edwards's  decease.  The  subject  of  tin's  work  was  one 
which  bud  long  occupied  the  mind  of  Hopkins.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-three,  lie  wrote  in  his  Journal :  "  I  have  been  reading  Mr. 
Taylor's  works,  who  denied  original  sin.  I  cannot  fall  in  with  him. 
If  I  give  up  this  doctrine,  I  must  give  up  Christianity."  Although 
Hopkins  often  declares  in  bis  System,  that  the  children  of  Adarn  nre 
not  answerable  for  bis  sin,  and  it  is  not  their  sin,  uny  further  than 
they  approve  of  it,  by  sinning  as  he  did,  —  in  this  wtty  only  they  be 
come  guilty  of  his  sin,  viz.,  by  approving  of  what  lie  did,  and  joining 
with  him  in  rebellion," — and  although  Hopkins  expressly  defines 
original  sin  to  be  "that. total  moral  depravity  which  taked  place  in 
the  hearts  of  all  the  children  of  Adam,  in  consequence  of  his  apos 
tasy,  which  consists  in  exercise  or  act,  as  really  ns  nny  sin  can  do, 
and  therefore  cannot  be  distinguished  from  actual  sin  ; "  t  he  yet,  in 
some  of  bis  expressions  on  this  theme,  approaches  more  nearly  to 
the  style  of  Edwards's  treatise  on  the  same  doctrine,  than  has  nny 
other  eminent  divine  of  New  England  within  the  past  century.  J  It 
is  ft  proof  of  his  most  affectionate  attachment  tfl>  his  theological 


•  Life  of  Edwards,  pp.  98,  99,  Edinburgh  edition. 

t  Sec  System,  vol.  i.  pp.  218,  224,  230,  etc..  etc. 

t  lu  proof  of  this  statement,  s«c  Hopkins'*  Sy»iem,  vol.  i.  pp.  199,  200,  210,  211,  213. 


MEMOIR.  217 

instructor,  that  he  nowhere  specifically  declares  his  dissent  from 
Edmirds's  philosophy  on  this  theme,  and  he  frequently  speaks  of 
Edwnrds's  treatise  with  high  commendation.* 

On  the  tenth  of  December,  1759,  Hopkins  writes  to  Bellamy  j 

"  Mr.  Foxcroft  [pastor  of  the  First  Church,  Boston]  has  offered  Mr.  Ed- 
"wards's  children  [that  ho  will]  assist  in  the  publication  of  some  of  Mr.  Ed- 
wards's  manuscripts ;  and  promises  faithfulness,  if  they  will  commit  any  to 
him.  Mrs.  Gill  has  sent  a  letter  to  them,  urging  them,  by  many  arguments, 
to  accept  of  Mr.  Foxcroft's  kind  offer ;  and  Mr.  Ilawley  has  wrote  about -it  to 
Mr.  Dwight.  And  Mr.  Dwight  has  wrote  up,  proposing  that  Home  manu 
scripts  should  be  sent  to  Mr.  Foxcroft,  by  my  advice  nnd  help.  The  children 
seem  to  be  pleased  with  the  schema.  Accordingly,  the  two  Dissertations  on 
the  End  of  God,  &c.,  and  on  Virtue,  and  forty-six  volumes  of  Sermons  aro 
selected  to  be  sent  to  Boston. 

u  Mr.  Foxcroft  proposes,  that  some  history  of  Mr.  Edwards's  life  shall  be 
prefixed  to  tho  first  publication,  and  desires  mo  to  wend  him  what  I  have 
wrote,  [|J  huvo  encouraged  him  I  will  transcribe  and  send  it,  but  almost  regret 
tint  I  have  done  it,  on  several  accounts." 

More  than  two  years  after  the  date  of  this  epistle,  Hopkins  wrote 
again  to  Bellamy,  in  a  characteristic  \vny : 

"  March  24,  1702.  I  have  a  letter  from  Mr.  dimming,  [Pastor  of  Old 
South  Church,  Boston,]  from  which  I  gather,  that  nothing  IB  done  toward 
printing  Mr.  Edwards'a  Life  and  Sermons.  The  sermons  not  transcribed; 
they  depend  much  upon  me  to  do  it,  while  tho  sermons  aro  at  Boston  !  The 
printer  waiting  for  subscriptions,  very  few  of  which  come  in.  Mr.  Foxcroft, 
[on  whom  chief  reliance  had  been  placed,]  sick,  and  can  do  nothing  towards  it. 
Mr.  dimming,  out  of  health  nnd  under  difficulties,  and  a  degree  of  persecu 
tion,  has  thoughts  of  printing  in  his  own  defence.  Mr.  Searlc  [a  particular 
friend  of  President  Edwardsl  cannot  transcribe.  That  on  the  find  of  (lotl, 
&c.,  is  not  transcribed  yet.  Nothing  will  be  done.  I  have  been  much  out  of 
health  of  late;  have  not  preached  the  two  Sabbaths  past;  have  done  no  busi 
ness  for  j  some  time.  My  people  are  in  nn  uncommon  ferment,  and  I  am 
dejected  and  discouraged." 

We  wait  more  than  two  years  longer,  and  find  Hopkins  himself  in 
Boston  !  His  printer  had  struck  off  only  MX  of  Edwnrds's  sermons 
and  three  sheets  of  Hopkins's  Memoir.  Of  the  forty-six  volumes  of 
manuscript,  only  seventeen  sermons  were  printed  as  late  ns  the  close 
of  1704  !  Edwards  had  then  heen  in  his  grave  nearly  seven  years. 
So  difficult  was  it,  in  that  day,  to  bring  forward  the  publications  of 
one  whose  most  trivial  manuscripts  are  now  regarded  as  treasures. 
It  has  been  supposed,  that  the  writings  of  President  Edwards  re 
ceived,  from  the  churches  of  our  land,  a  far  more  cordial  welcome 
than  was  given  to  the  productions  of  Hopkins.  But  between  the 
first  and  second  editions  of  Hopkins's  Works,  a  shorter  interval 
elapsed,  than  between  the  first  and  second  editions  o*'  Edwards's 
valuable  publications.  It  is  a  humiliating  fact,  that  several  of  Ed 
wards's  writings  were  sent  to  Scotland  for  publication,  because  our  , 
own  community  would  not  patronize  them  ! 

*  Sec  bis  Memoir  of  Edwards,  p.  61,  Edinburgh  edition. 
S 


218  MEMOIR. 

1 

In  the  early  part  of  176-5,  our  author  succeeded  in  carrying 
through  the  press  the  two  Dissertations  ««  Concerning  the  End  for 
which  God  created  the  World,"  and  the  «» Nature  of  True  Virtue." 
Together  with  Hopkins's  Preface,  etc.,  they  formed  a  duodecimo  of 
only  a  hundred  and  ninety-eight  pages;  a  small  volume,  written  and 
edited  hy  ministers  in  the  forest*  of  New  England,  hut  destined  t<* 
enchain  the  attention  of  such  philosophers  as  Dugnld  Stewart  and  Sir 
James  Mackintosh.  The  proof-sheets  of  this  volume  were  corrected 
by  Messrs.  Pcmhcrton  and  Eliot  of  Boston.  Edwards  had  written 
the  Dissertations  three  years,  at  least,  before  his  death.  He  hnd 
made  a  public  announcement  of  his  intention  to  publish,  soon,  the 
Treatise  on  Virtue.  The  main  idea  of  that  treatise  ho  had  de 
veloped  in  his  college  life  ;  and  hod  thus  matured  it  during  his  forty 
years  of  study.  It  was,  therefore,  incumbent  on  Hopkins  to  prepare 
it  as  soon  as  possible  for  publication.  Both  ho  and  Bellamy  hnd 
reviewed,  in  company  with  Edwards,  tho  Treatise  on  the  End  of 
God  in  creating  the  World  ;  and  there  is  no  doubt,  that  the  Trea 
tise  on  Virtue  bad  been  the  topic  of  earnest  consultation  among  these 
three  friends.*  Hopkins,  especially)  wo*  so  intimate  with  Edwards, 
and  was  withal  so  inquisitive,  and  eager  for  information,  that  he 
must  have  ascertained  the  opinions  of  his  teacher  with  regard  to  tho 
practical  bearings  of  the  theory  which,  more  than  almost  any  other, 
contains  tho  "  seeds  of  things."  He  spent  much  of  his  life  in  de 
fending  and  applying  this  theory  of  virtue.  He  founded  many  of  his 
peculiarities  upon  it.  No  man  hud  enjoyed  so  signal  an  advantage 
for  learning  tho  varied  uses  which  Edwards  would  make  of  it.  Dr. 
Samuel  Miller  says  :  »•  It  is  confidently  believed,  that  if  he  [Ed 
wards!  had  foreseen  the  UHO  which  has  since  beeiii  made  of  the  doc 
trine  of  this  Dissertation  [eoneerning  Virtue],  ho  would  either  have 
shrunk  from  its  publication,  or  have  guarded  its  various  aspects  with 
additional  care."t  But  Hopkins  expresses  the  general  opinion, 
when  he  nflirms,  in  tho  Preface  to  these  Dissertations,  that  Edwards 
•'  had  a  rare  talent  to  penetrate  deep  in  search  of  truth ;  to  take  an 
extensive  survey  of  a  subject,  and  look  through  it  into  remote  con 
sequences."  Some  of  these  consequences,  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  Edwards  himself  would  have  more  fully  developed,  had  he  lived 
to  edit  his  own  manuscript;  for  Hopkins  says  in  his  instructive  Pre 
face,  that  "  if  bis  [Edwurds's]  life;  had  been  spared,  he  would  have 
reviewed  them  [i.  r.,  the  two  Dissertations,]  and  rendered  them  in 
some  respects  more  complete.  Some  new  sentiments,  hero  and 
there,  might  probably  have  been  added,  and  some  passages  bright 
ened  with  farther  illustrations.  This  may  bo  conjectured  from  some 
brief  hints  or  sentiments,  minuted  down  on  loose  papers  found  in 

*  See  pp.  49,  50,  of  this  Memoir, 
t  Miller'i  Life  of  Edwardi,  p.  244. 


MEMOIR.  219 

the  manuscripts.1*  Hopkins  knew  what  these  additions  were*  If 
they  hnd  been  at  all  inconsistent  with  the  main  doctrine  of  the  Dis 
sertations,  his  honesty  would  have  prompted  him  to  publish  the  fuct. 
But  ho  knew  the  contrary.  Ho  implies  that  thoy  confirmed  and 
illustrated  that  great  doctrine.  Here  wo  see  a  new  cause  for  thank 
fulness  to  an  nil-wise  Providence,  that  the  editorial  supervision  of 
Ed\vards's  works  was  committed  to  his  confidential  friend,  who  had 
a  better  acquaintance  than  any  other  man,  with  the  inner  views  and 
aims  of  the  «•  prince  of  metaphysicians ; "  and  who,  in  his  reverent 
spirit,  chose  to  call  himself  an  Edwnrdean,  wliilo  in  his  modesty  he 
never  desired  to  bo  called  u  Hopkinsiun. 

After  preparing  several  other  works  of  Edwards  for  the  press,  the 
disheartened  editor  became  satisfied  that  they  would  not  be  sold,  and 
he. therefore  turned  his  mind  to  other  projects. 

Much  instruction  may  be  derived  from  the  changes  which  have 
taken  place,  in  the  relative  estimate  of  these  two  divines.  It  has 
been  a  cherished  intent  of  some,  to  magnify  the  differences  between 
the  teacher  and  the  pupil.  But  formerly,  the  most  jealous  admirers 
of  Edwards  were  wont  to  say,  that  his  pupil  wa.s  indebted  to  the  six 
years'  study  of  the  President's  manuscripts,  for  the  most  important 
peculiarities  of  the  Ilopkinsiau  creed,  and  therefore  the  creed  ought 
to  be  called  Edwardean.  Dr.  Channing  is  equally  sure  of  the  sub 
stantial  agreement  between  the  two  friends,  but  takes  an  entirely 
different  view  of  their  relation  to  each  other.  "  My  impression  is," 
he  writes,  "  that  President  Edwards  was  a  good  deal  indebted  to 
Dr.  Hopkins  for  his  later  views  of  religion;  especially  for  those 
which  we  find  in  his  Essays  on  Virtue  and  on  God's  End  in  Crea 
tion,  Dr.  Hopkins  had  not  the  profound  genius  of  Edwards,  but 
was  he  not  a  man  of  a  freer  and  a  bolder  mind  ?  "  * 

Doubtless  the  two  friends,  in  their  frequent  conferences  during  an 
intimacy  of  seventeen  years,  in  their  many  social  rides  and  walks,  and 
their  closet  interviews,  which  arc  so  often  mentioned  in  the  Diary  of 
Hopkins,  gave  to  each  other  many  hints,  and  opened  before  each 
other  many  views,  which  neither  would  have  received  alone.  The 
pupil  loved  to  confess,  that  his  mind  derived  an  unwonted  stimulus 
and  enlargement  from  the  earnest  study  of  his  teacher's  manuscripts ; 
and  the  fact  that  those  manuscripts  were  committed  to  his  care,  is 
one  indication  of  the  confidence  which  his  teacher  was  known  to  have 
reposed  in  him.  The  pupil  revered  the  instructor,  and  the  in 
structor  relied  ou  the  sound  judgment  of  the  pupil.  With  his  char 
acteristic  honesty,  Hopkins  avows  in. regard  to  the  most  vital  of  all 
his  speculations:  *«  In  this,  however,  I  don't  pretend  to  be  an  origi 
nal.  President  Edwards,  in  his  Dissertation  on  the  Nature  of  Truo 
Virtue,  has  given  the  same  account  of  holiness,  for  substance, 

*  Letter  of  February  14,  1810. 


220  MEMOIR. 

^    . 

(though  under  a  different  name,)  which  the  reader  will  find  in  the 
following  Inquiry.*  All  I  can  pretend  to,  us  nil  improvement  on 
him,  is  to  have  explained  nomo  things  more  fully  than  ho  did,  and 
more  particularly  stated  the  opposition  of  holiness  to  self-love ;  arid 
*hown  tlmt  this  representation  of  holiness  is  agreeable  to  the  Scrip 
ture,  and  to  have  answered  some  objections  ho  has  not  mentioned, 
and  mmlo  a  numhcr  of  inferences."  Ur.  Jonathan  Edwards  acknowl 
edges,  that  Hopkins  effected  the  great  improvement  in  American 
theology,  with  regard  to  the  use  of  means  in  an  impenitent  state  ; 
and  yet  both  Dr.  Edwards  and  Dr.  Hopkins  strenuously  contended, 
that  this  improvement  is  a  logical  result  of  premises  laid  down  by  the 
President  himsclf.t  These  doctors  may  have  misunderstood  the 
principles  of  the  Edwardeun  theology;  but  if  Hopkins  did  not,  more 
fully  than  any  other  man,  comprehend  these  principles,  he  must  have 
been  singularly  obtuse;  for  lie  was  more  conversant  than  any  other 
man  with  their  author,  when  he  first  developed  them  ;  he  aided  in 
that  development ;  his  suggestive  mind  was  often  consulted  and  con-' 
fideu  in  by  their  author;  ho  was  intrusted  with  their  defence;  ho 
examined  them  with  rare  intenscncss  after  their  author's  demise; 
he  devoted  the  studies  of  sixty  years  to  them;  he  saw  them  in  their 
practical  workings ;  he  learned  them  by  living  them.  Hu  did  not 
mean  to  he  a  copyist  of  I'ldwards,  Ho  believed,  however,  and  loved 
to  believe,  that,  if  Edwards  had  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  the  two 
friends  would  have  remained  as  firmly  united  with  each  other  in 
faith,  as  they  had  ever  been;  that  they  would  have  continued  to 
plead  for  essentially  the  same  theories,  to  enjoy  essentially  the  samo 
aids,  and  to  contend  against  essentially  the  tmmu  ohjections. 

O.    Miscellaneous  Essays. 

These  were  very  numerous;  too  much  so  to  bo  here  specified. 
Many  of  them  were  published  in  the  Theological  Magazine;  a  peri 
odical  to  which  himself  and  Drs.  Edwards  and  West  contributed  the 
ablest  articles.  Some  were  published  in  the  Connecticut  Evangeli 
cal  Magu/inc,  in  the  newspapers  of  Hartford,  Hoston,  Providence, 
and  Newport.  In  his  Diary,  Hopkins  often  speaks  of  manuscripts 
which  he  was  interested  in  writing.  Some  of  them  are  now  lost. 
Several  which  are  preserved  relate  to  baptism,  miracles,  prayer,  tho 
nature  of  "  saving  faith,"  the  atonement,  free  justification,  and  kin 
dred  topics.  The,  greater  part  of  them,  however,  are  expositions  of 
biblical  texts,  and  prove  that  the  Ilible,  rather  than  books  of  meta 
physics,  was  his  chief  study.  The  following  is  a  single  specimen  of 

*  "  Inquiry  into  the  Nulnro  of  True  Holiness;1'  from  llic  Preface  to  \vliirh  volume, 
llicsc  words  ;>re  quoted. 

t  Sec  ihe  Kssay  in  Dr.  I-MwnnK'*  Works,  vol.  i.  pp.  4#8,  <13fJ,  on  the  Improvements 
mtulc  in  Tlieology  by  President  Kdwards. 


/  MEMOIR. 

hii  exegetical  *  papers.  Thf>  present  biographer  would,  on  some 
accounts,  choose  to  make  a  few  alterations  in  it,  but  as  he  has,  in 
other  instances,  abstained  from  any  changes  in  his  author's  compo 
sitions,  (except  in  those  rare  cases  which  are  denoted  by  brackets,)! 
so  ho  prefers,  on  the  whole,  to  let  tho  ensuing  illustration  of  Hop- 
kins'a  philology  speak  for  itself,  verbatim  ct  literatim. 

"December,  18, 1780.  I  have  been  attending  to  Gal.  iv.  12:  'Brethren, 
I  beseech  you,  bo  as  I  am ;  for  I  am  as  ye  arc :  ye  have  not  injured  me  at 
all.'  The  original  is,  '  Be  ye  as  I ;  for  I  as  you.* 

"  1  find  it  capable  of  four  senses  different  from  each  other,  which  have 
been  put  upon  iu 

"  By  some  it  has  been  taken  as  expressing  his  desire  to  bo  one  [with  tho 
Galatians]  in  affection  and  love,  which  is  effected  by  [their]  loving  each  other 
as  themselves.  Ho  wishes  them  to  love  him  as  he  loved  them,  and  exercise 
tho  same  kind  of  affection.  Tho  words  of  Johoshaphat,  they  suppose,  aro  an 
illustration  of  this  sense,  (I  Kings  xxii.  4,) '  I  am  as  thou  art.'  In  tho  original 
it  is  'I  as  thou.'  This  senso  is  embraced  by  Luther,  Calvin,  Be/,a,  (irotius, 
and  Gomarus. 

"  Others  give  tho  following  ocnse :  *  I  have  put  off  tho  Jew,  and  considered 
their  rites  of  circumcision,  &c.,  as  not  binding,  and  have,  in  these  things,  con 
formed  to  you  Gentiles,  and  conversed  freely  with  you.  I  am,  in  this  respect, 
as  you  Gentiles;  I  beseech  you  to  continue  to  bo  as  I  am,  and  not  forsake 
me  by  turning  Jews,  in  conforming  to  their  rites,  which  I  have  renounced, 
but  bo  as  I  am.' 

"This  is  the  construction  of  Kstius,  MonochiiiM.  KriiHimiH,  nvid  Tiuin*. 

"  Another  sense  is  put  upon  this  text  by  Home  Greek  expositors,  nxmtionod 
by  Kstius,  by  Paraeus,  Vcstius,  Vatabulus,  aiul  Dr.  Doddridge.  They  render 
the  text  thus,  '  Bo  ye  as  I  now  am,  for  I  waa  onco  as  ye  are,'  t.  «.,  I  was  onco 
in  tho  same  error,  into  which  you  nro  now  running.  I  know  tho  sin  and  dan 
ger  of  it;  I  wish  yon  to  renounce  it,  as  I  have  done,  and  be  us  I  now  am. 

"I  find,  by  examining  my  manuscripts,  tbjit  above  forty  ycaro  ago  I  under 
stood  this  j)onsag«  in  a  sense  different  from  all  tho  fore-mentioned,  which 
seems  to  have  been  the  sense  to  which  I  was  led  by  attending  to  tho  original, 


without  consulting  any  author,  or  knowing  how  it  hud  been  understood  by 
expositors.  I  tljen  paraphrased  tho  verso  as  follows :  '  He  ye  as  I  am ;  for  I 
am  as  ye  ir?r<*,  and  ought  to  bo.  Brethren,  I  am  concerned  for  your  good, 


and  seeking  your  benefit,  and  not  my  own  interest  ;  for  that  is  not  concerned 
in  the  matter;  for  what  you  have  done  no  way  hurls  or  hnjircs  mo  in  .my  per 
sonal  interest.' 


"  In  the  original,  the  words  d<Jf  iqrol  dlofiai  vftCov  come  in  after  the  first 
sentence,  'Be  yo  as  I  ;  for  I  as.  you,'  and  seem  to  be  a  sentence  by  itwelf, 
agreeable  to  the  punctuation  in  the  Greek  Testament  ;  and  not  aw  the  English 
translation  puts  it,  by  transposing  the  words.  The  sense  I  have  given  of  tho 
words  in  my  paraphrase,  perhaps,  is  stniinctl.  It  is  there  supposed  that  a 
peculiar  emphasis  is  to  be  put  on  tho  word  Stn/mxt  ;  that  it  expresses  his 
tender  concern  for  their  interest,  by  which  ho  was  led,  in  'tho  most  tender 
manner,  and  with  tho  greatest  concern  and  compassion  for  them,  as  on  his 
knees,  to  entreat  and  beseech  them,  not  in  the  least  influenced  by  any  personal 
interest  or  resentment  ;  which  the  Inst  words  express:  'Ye  have  not  injured 
me  at  all,'  quod  </i'nV,  You  have  hurt  yourselves,  and  not  me,  by  renouncing 
tho  truths  which  I  taught  you;  and  I  am  entreating  you,  and  exorcising  dis 
interested  compassion  for  you,  and  seeking  not  my  own  profit,  but  yours. 

"•  '  For  I  nm  as  yo  urre.'    This  is  as  easy  nnd  natural  a  supply  to  tho  original, 

*  The  word  erfgcsis  is  occasionally  used  by  Hopkins,  in  his  comments  on  the  Bible. 
f  See  tho  Preface  to  this  Memoir. 
5* 


222  MEMOIR. 

08  4I  «HM  as  yo  arf,'  or  any  other.  They  did,  at  first,  embrace  the  truth 
preached  by  Paul,  and  did  run  trc//  for  a  time.  They  turned  away  from  tho 
truth.  Paul  continued  steadfast  as  ho  was,  and  wished  them  to  return  to  him, 
and  be  as  they  onco  were." 

Many  of  Dr.  Hopkins's  biblical  Expositions  arc  much  more  accu 
rate  than  tho  preceding,  and  would  liuvo  been  hero  substituted  for  ,jt, 
if  the  nim  of  this  Memoir  had  been  to  proclaim  bis  merits  and  con 
ceal  bis  faults.  He  would  doubtless  have  applied  to  this  Exposition 
tho  epithet,  which  be  so  often  applied  to  bis  manuscripts,  «»  non  (lig 
num  h/pis."  But  the  most  incorrect  of  bis  philological  essays  prove, 
that  be  was  accustomed  to  study  the  original  languages  of  the  Bible, 
and  the  ablest  commentaries  upon  it,  and  then  to  form  bis  own  in 
dependent  judgment. 

P.    European  Correspondence, 

This  was  elaborate  and  voluminous.  Our  author's  letters  arc 
scattered  among  the  documents  of  Erskine,  Sharp,  Macnulay,  Ful 
ler,  Ilyland,  the  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge,  and 
various  other  associations  and  individuals.  No  one  can  say,  that  Dr. 
Hopkins  did  not  accomplish  as  much  for  the  world,  by  bis  epistles  to 
the  English  and  Scotch  divines,  as  by  bis  published  volumes.  I  Jo  in 
fluenced  men  who  bad  great  power  over  their  race.  lie  touched  the 
binges  of  a  large  community. 

It  is  well  known  that  "  American  Theology"  as  it  was  termed,  bad 
n  marked  influence  in  breaking  down  the  Antinomianism  of  the  Eng 
lish  dissenters.  The  three  American  writers  who  Vverc  most  care 
fully  studied  by  the  British  assailants  of  that  Antihoniiunism,  were 
Edwards,  Hopkins,  and  Bellamy;  and  this  triumvirate  exerted, 
through  Andrew  Fuller  and  his  coadjutors,  nearly  as  much  power 
over  Old,  as  over  New  England.  No  small  part  of  this  influence 
came  through  the  correspondence  of  Hopkins.  At  tone  dntc,  we  find 
him  urging  bis  friends  to  print  an  English  edition  of  Bellamy's 
works.  At  another  date,  we  find  him  remonstrating,  iti  n  letter  of 
eight  closely  written  pages,  against  James  Hervcy'u  doctrine  of  jus 
tifying  faith.  In  all  bis  epistles  be  has  a  serious  object. 

The  most  important  of  bis  letters  were  in  reference  to  the  writings 
of  the  celebrated  Abraham  Booth.  In  17iX>,  Mr.  Booth  published 
bis  "Glad  Tidings  to  perishing  Sinners ;  "  a  work  written  in  de 
signed  opposition  to  the  school  of  Andrew  Fuller.  Mr.  Booth  "  sus 
pected,  that  Mr.  Fuller  and  bis  friends  were  too  much  attached  to 
tho  sentiments  of  President  Edwards  and  other  American  divines  of 
later  dale;  and  that  by  importing  their  metaphysical  refinements, 
there  would  be  pome  danger  of  relaxing  that  muscular  system  of 
theology  [?]  to  which  be  himself  was  so  ardently  attached."  «« In 
the  progress  of  bis  inquiry,  Mr.  Booth  did  not  fail  to  animadvert  pretty 


MEMOIR.  223 

neverely  on  some  of  the  American  wriiw*;  whom  he  mentioned, 
rnthor  in  terms  of  contempt ;  and  tlic  sentiments  of  Dr.  Hopkins  in 
particular,  on  the  subject  of  regeneration  and  justification,  he  con 
sidered  as  'pernicious'  nnd  tending  to  'corrupt  the  Gospel.'  His  pam- 
plilct  soon  crossed  the  Atlantic,  where  it  was  attentively  examined  by 
Dr.  Hopkins,  who  transmitted  to  n  friend  on  this  side  the  water  a 
complete  refutation  of  several  of  Mr.  Booth's  positions,  accompanied 
with  come  pointed  strictures  on  the  temper  of  his  performance,  and 
the  inconclusive  nature  of  his  reasonings.  The  respect  entertained 
for  Mr.  Booth,  did  not  permit  the  printing  of  this  valuable  manu 
script,  and  it  obtained  only  a  private  circulation  ;  for,  whatever  dif 
ference  of  opinion  might  exist  on  some  speculative  point*,  oil  parties 
were  agreed  in  paying  homage  to  his  [Mr.  B.'sj  character.  Mr. 
Fuller  apologized  to  Dr.  Hopkins  for  Mr.  Booth's  manner  of  writing, 
;\:ul  his  seeming  contempt  for  contemporary  authors,  in  a  letter  dated 
March  17,  171)8;  while  he,  at  the  same  time,  expressed  his  own 
opinion  of  the  manuscript  in  question.  *I  sincerely  thank  you,'  says 
he,  [Mr.  Fuller  to  Dr.  Hopkins,]  'for  your  remarks  on  Mr.  Booth's 
performance  ;  which  every  person  of  judgment  who  has  seen  them, 
within  my  knowledge,  considers  as  a  decisive  refutation.'"  It  was 
common  for  Hopkins  to  receive  like  testimonies  of  gratitude  from 
his  English  friends,  for  his  aid  in  their  controversies. 

Mr.  Fuller  encountered  n  severe  opposition  in  consequence  of  his 
esteem  for  the  "  American  theology."  He  was  sometimes  derisively, 
culled  the  "  American  doctor."  t  Very  frequently  was  he  reproached 
as  an  Arminian.  "  In  fact,"  says  his  biographer,  "  so  blind  was  the 
enmity  directed  against  him,  that  one  of  the  churches  in  his  own 
neighborhood  refused,  for  seven  years,  to  hold  communion  with  him, 
or  to  allow  any  of  their  members  to  have  fellowship  with  his  church."  f 
It  is  natural,  therefore,  that  both  Fuller  and  his  biographer  should 
feel  desirous  of  dissociating  his  name  with  those  peculiarities  of 
American  divines,  which  he  did  not  approve.  In  a  letter  to  Hopkins 
dated  March  17,  HOH,  he  specifies  the  following  objections  to  Hop 
kins'*  "manner  of  writing,"  and  also  to  the  metaphysical  tendencies 
of  some  more  youthful  writers  in  our  land  : 

I.  "  T  am  not  sure  that  your  idea  of  God  being  '  the  author  of  win,'  is  essen 
tially  dtlf-Tent  from  th^  notion  of  those  Calvinwtu  who  consider  Bin  an^Uio 
object  of  divine,  decree;  but  I  am  satisfied  of  this,  that  to  say  'God  is  tho 
author  of  sin,'  does  HO  naturally  convey  to  almost  every  mind  the  ideas  that 
(Jod  i.s  tho  friend  and  approver  of  sin;  that  we  arc  mere  passive  instruments; 

*  Hoc  Morris's  Life  of  Fuller,  chapter  xi. 

t  TliU  may  have  been  owiiip,  in  part,  to  tlio  circumstance  thai  ho  received  a  doctor- 
ale  from  tho  College  of  New  Jersey,  in  17%.  This  doctorate,  however,  was  declined 
by  Mr.  Fuller,  in  a  Icltcr  to  Dr.  Hopkins  in  1798;  as  the  samo  honor  from  Yale  Col- 
lego  was  declined  by  him  in  1H05,  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Dwight. 

£  Morris's  Memoir  of  Fuller,  chapter  ix.  Sec  also  Kylnnd's  Life  of  Fuller,  chapter 
viii.  and  Appendix. 


224  MEMOIR. 

and  that  ho  himself,  being  tho  grand  agent,  outfit  only  to  be  accountable  for  it, 
—  that  I  should  think,  by  using  it,  I  convoyed  ideas  directly  Contrary  to  James 
i.  13;  and  I  must  say,  that  tho  whole  of  that  passage,  taken  together,  appears 
to  mo  to  represent  tin  important  truth,  which  your  manner  of  writing  uecmn 
to  overlook,  and  which  is  thus  expressed  by  M'Laurin  in  hta  sermon  on  tho 
passage:  'Whatever  dishonorable  thoughts  sinful  men  may  have  of  God 
to  the  contrary,  yet  it  is  a  truth  clearly  evident,  th:it  dod  in  infinitely  free 
from  the  blnmo  of  their  Hi  us.'  Yonr  observations  on  the  p'issage  in  tho  -1th 
chapter  of  your  System,  go  only  to  prove  that,  your  viown  do'not  represent 
dod  as  tempting  men  to  win,  or  n.s  being  tempted  himself  to  sin  ;  but  you  do 
not  observe  the  opjMisition  in  the  context,  that  evil  is  not  to  bo  ascribed  to 
dod,  (vcr.  lM-ir>;)  llrit  every  good  and  j)erfect  gill  in  to  bo  ascribed  to 
dod,  (vcr.  K'n-lH.)" 

II.  "I  have  enjoyed  grent  pleasure  in  reading  many  of  your  metaphysical 
pieces,  and  hope  those  who  can  throw  light,  on  evangelical  subjects  in  that 
way,  will  continue  to  write.  Jliif  I  have  observed  tlint  wherovr  an  extraor 
dinary  man  IWN  been  raised  up,  like  President  I'Mwards,  who  lias  excelled  in 
some  particular  doctrines  or  manner  of  reasoning,  it  is  i  sual  lor  his  followers 
mi'l  admirers  too  much  to  Coiifmo  their  attention  to  his  doctrines  or  manner 
of  reasoning,  as  though  all  excellence  was  there  concentrated.  1  allow  that 
your  present  writers  do  not  implicitly  follow  Kdwards,  as  lo  hi.-t  sentiment*, 
hut  that  you  preserve  a  spirit  of  free  inquiry;  yet  I  must  say,  it  appears  to  mo 
that  seYcral  of  your  younger  men  possess  u  rage  of  imitating  his  metaphysical 
manner,  till  some  of  them  become  metaphysic  mad.  I  am  not  without  Homo 
of  ivf".  ScottV  apprehensions,  lest,  by  such  a  spirit  tho  simplicity  of  the  gospel 
should  bo  lost,  and  truth  amongst  you  stand  more  in  the  wisdom  of  men  than 
in  the  power  of  (iod." 

Or.  Hopkins  replied  to  this  letter  in  the  same  fraternal  spirit  which 
prompted  it.  His  answer  is  very  instructive,  ns  in  it  he  disclaims  all 
belief  in  the  theory  which  Fuller  condemns,  rc.-pooting  the  divine 
agency  in  producing  sin,  and  also  discountenances  nil  such  use  of 
metaphysics  as  appeared  unsafe  to  Jiis  transatlantic  friend.  Fuller 
was  objecting,,  not  to  strict  IlnpUinsianism,  but  to  an  erroneous  view 
<>f  it  ;  not  to  the  substance,  but  to  Ilopkins's  expression  of  tho  doiv 
trine,  that  (Jod  decrees  the  existence  of  sin  and  insures  the  fill  111  iu«irt 
of  his  decrees.  This  is  obvious  from  the  ensuing  reply,  which  eon- 
tains  nothing  hut  a  straightforward  Calvinism  dres<ed  in  the  lloj>- 
kinsian  style. 

"Newport,  October  14~,  170S.  Dear  Sir:  I  feel  myself  much  obliged  to 
you  for  your  letter  to  me.  of  March  17,  which  did  not  come  to  hand  till  the 
third  instant 

"I  am  f:ir  from  wishing  to  savor  do  any  .thing  to  alt'-r  yon*1  opinion  of 
the  honesty  and  holiness  of  Mr.  Month;  1ml',  from  what  1  huvn  sera  of  his 
writings,  —  which  are  only  his  Ileiga  of  draco  and  (Had  Tidings, —  I  cannot 
consider  him  as  a  divine  of  u  clear  or  orthodox  head;  and  I  think  I  have  a 
divine  warrant  to  sav,  th:>t  tin;  religion  which  lias  its  foundation  on  ih"  prin 
ciples  he  has  asserted,  both  in  his  (Had  Tidings  and  U"i<jn  of  draco,  (sen 
pp.  ^ H,  'J70,  of  the  later  edition  of  17!)5,)  is  altogether  a  selfish  religion,  and 
therefore  abomiaabln  to  (Iod.  (See  Matt.  iv.  •!(>.) 

"  I  could  not  see  how  his  treatment  of  my  sermons  on  Law  and  Regeneration 
could  bo  reconciled  with  Christian  candor  or  honesty.  JJut  as  I  am  not  so 
proper  a  iadge  of  tlmt  matter  OH  you  are,  I  am  willing  tho  apology  yon  mako 
lor  him  should  be  admitted. 

•'  I  am,  I  confess,  a  great  enemy  to  that  religion  wliich  originates  in  selfish- 


MEMOIR.  225 

ness,  and  cprwwta  wholly  in  it,  aa  I  am  certain  it  is  directly  contrary  to  tho 
religion  which  Jesus  Christ  inculcated;  and  fear  that  millions  in  tho  Christian 
world  have  perished,  and  aro  perishing  with  it.  I  have,  for  a  number  of 
yours  past,  made  exertions  to  detect  and  oppose  it.  And  I  am  not  surprised, 
that  so  many  condemn  me  an  carrying  matters  too  far  on  this  head.  They 
oppoarto  mo  to  be  unwilling  this  abominable  idol  should  bo  wholly  destroyed. 
"  I  allow  your  observation  to  be  in  some  measure  just,  that  some  American 
writers  are  *  metaphysics  mad.'  I  know  not,  however,  what  writings  you  refer 
to,  unless  it  be  some  pieces  which  h  ive  been  published  in  the  Theological 
Magazine.  A  number  of  them,  especially  those  written  by  SI»F.CULATOK, 
Vol.  I.  No.  V.,  hnvo  offended  many  of  the  subscribers  for  tho  Magazine,  and  a 
number  havo  withdrawn  their  subscription  on  tlr.t  account.  Hut  very  few 
Americans,  and  none,  perhaps,  but  tho  author  or  authors,  approve  t/f  writings 


of  tlmt  complexion. 

"  You  might  well  say,  'I  am  not  sure  that  your  notion  of  Cod  being  the 
author  of  sin,  is  essentially  different  from  the  idea  of  sin  being  the  object  of  a 
rdi'inr  ncrrcr.'  You  may  DO  nure  it  is  not,  so  far  as  you  can  rely  on  my  dec- 
In  ration,  and  you  run  see  any  force  in  the  arguments  I  have  offered  to  pro/o 
th"re  is  no  difference,  and  which  I  thought  amounted  to  a  demonstration, 
(See  System,  Chap.  IV.)  * 

"To  say  tint  God  is  tho  author  of  sin,  without  any  explanation  and  show 
ing  in  what  sense  lie  may  be  said  to  be  so,  and  in  whut  sense  lie  in  not,  would 
doubtless  bo  wrong,  and  convey  1"  those  who  do  not  understand  tho  subject, 
wrong  ideas,  injurious  to  the  divine  eharaeter.  I  think  I  am  not  chargeable! 
with  this.  I  have  endeavored  to  prove  that  (Jod  being,  in  the  sense  ex 
plained,  the  origin  or  cause  of  sin,  does  not  imply  any  thing  contrary  to  his 
infinite  holiness,  or  that  he  is  pleased  with  sin,  considered  in  itself.  (System, 
Chan.  IV.) 

"  It  is  impossible  to  prevent  wrong- ideas  on  this  subject,  in  those  who  aro 
strongly  prejudiced  against  the  truth,  nnd  will  not  think  carefully  and  impar 
tially,  or  to  stop  their  mouths.  The  doctrine  that  God  has  foreordained  whatso 
ever  comes  to  pass,  (which  I  have  declared,  and  think  I  have  proved  implies  all 
which  I  have  advanced  on  the  subject,)  has  been  always  objected  to,  as  making 
(Jod  the  author  of  sin,  nnd  implying  'that  ho  is  the  friend  and  approver  of 
sin.'  Thousands  and  millions  in  the  Christian  world  \\nvc  felt  and  said  this 
was  true.  And  all  that  Calvinists  have  said  to  remove  tho  objection  from  tho 
minds  of  most,  has  not  done  it.  And  tho  objection  cannot  be  well  answered, 
without  at  the  same  time  answering  all  the  objections  that  are  made  to  tho 
divine  agency  in  tho  existence  of  sin.  The  objection  to  tho  divine  agency  in 
originating  sin,  'that  wo  are  passive  instruments,  and  that  he  himself  being 
the  grand  agent,  ought  only  to  be  accountable  for  it,'  is  equally  against  (Jod 
working  in  men  to  will  and  to  do  that  which  is  good,  as  his  agency  in  tho 
existence  of  moral  evil.  They,  therefore,  who  bclicvo  the  former,  cannot,  con 
sistently  make  this  objection  to  the  latter.  (Sco  System,  fourth  chapter.) 
And,  indeed,  the  objection  has  no  foundation  in  reason,  as,  L  think,  has  been 
fully  shown  in  my  System. 

"On  the  whole,  ii'  God's  decreeing  or  willing  the  existence  of  sin,  and, 
consequently,  doing  all  that  without  which  it  could  not  exist,  and  which  en 
sures  its  existence,  (the  latter  being  necessarily  implied  in  the  former,)  does 
represent  him  as  being  pleased  with  sin  itself;  then  his  decreeing  and  pro 
ducing  natural  evil,  does  equally  represent  him  as  delighting  in  the  misery 
of  his  creatures  for  its  own  sake,  which  is  as  inconsistent  with  his  goodness 


*  Hcn>  is  n  ilrfmito  proof,  that  Ilopkim  meant  no  inoro,  by  teaching  ilint  Cod  is  llm 
millior  of  sin,  than  is  meant  l>y  teaching  tlmt  (Io<l  foreordain*  MD,  and  ttocures  tho  fulfil 
ment  of  his  decree.  IIo  who  does  not  l»elicvc  this,  may  bo  ft  good  mini,  but  is  no  Cal- 
vinist.  — The  phraseology  of  Hopkins  often  docs  injustice  to  his  real  meaning. 


226  MEMOIR. 

] 

ns  the  former  is  with  his  holiness.  And  there  is  no  way  to  obviate  the  objec 
tion  against  tho  latter,  which  will  not  equally  remove  that  against  the  former. 
(Sec  System,  Chap.  IV.) 

"But  what  tho  nposuo  James  sayti  (chap.  i.  verse  13-18)  is  thought  to  be 
inconsistent  with  divine  agency  in  tho  existence  of  win,  and  '  toadies  that  evil 
in  not  to  1)0  attributed  to  God ;  but  that  every  good  and  perfect  gift,  especially 
that'  of  regeneration,  is.' 

"  You  observe,  that  '  my  obHorvntioiu  on  the  passage  go  only  to  prove  that 
my  views  do  not  represent  (Jod  as  tempting  men  to  sin.'  If  I  have  proved 
this,  then  tho  apostle's  words  are  not  contrary  to  my  views,  or  inconsistent 
wilh  the  divine  agency  in  the  existence  of  sin.  Consequently,  his  saying  that 
every  good  and  every  perfect  gift  i*  from  above,  and  cometh  down  from  the 
Father  of  lights,  &c.,  is  not  opposed  to  this  ;  but  to  his  tempting  men  to  win,  if 
opposed  to  any  thing,  (which  is  quite  a  different  thing.)  The  npo.stln  does 
not.  nay,  tlmt  (iod  has  no  agency  in  any  thing  but  that  which  is  in  itself  good, 
and  is  not  the  origin  and  cause,  of  that  which  is  not  in  itself  a  good  and  per 
fect  gift;  hut  only  that  every  such  gift  is  from  him,  without  affirming  or  im 
plying  that  he  has  no  agency  in  any  existence  or  event  which  is  not  in  itself 
a  good  and  perfect  gift,  and  wh'ch  cannot  properly  be  culled  a  tfij'l.  Tho 
agency  of  (Jod  in  producing  natural  evil  is  never  represented  in  Scripture,  I 
think,  to  be  a  gift,  much  less  a  good  and  perfect  gift;  because  what  is  pro 
duced  is  in  itself  evil ;  and  is  consistent  with  every  good  gift  coming  Irom 
(Jod;  and  asserting  the  latter  does  not  deny  the  former,  nor  is  in  any  degree 
inconsi.steut  with  it.  -This  may  be  applied  to  moral  evil  with  equal  truth  and 
propriety. 

"  If  there  were  no  other  passage  in  the  Kildo  but  this,  in  which  any  thing 
M  h-iid  relating  to  this  subject,  it  might  be  liable  to  a  misconstruction,  and 
considered  as  asserting  that  moral  evil  did  in  no  sense  originate  from  divine 
agency.  Hut  since  so  much  is  said  in  the  Scriptures  on  thts  point,  and  it  ia 
*o  often  and  in  so  many  ways  expressly  asserted,  that  (Jod  hardens  the  hearts 
of  men,  and  makes  them  obstinate,  turns  their  hearts  to  hate  what  they  ought 
to  love,  and  puts  it  into  their  hearts  to  do  that  which  is  sinful,  &c'.,  &c.,  (see 
System,  Vol.  I.  fourth  chapter,)  it  is  not  reasonable  to  put  a  sense  upon  tho 
words  of  James  inconsistent  with  those;  numerous  express  declarations,  and 
to  which  they  cannot  be  reconciled  without  putting  an  unnatural,  forced 
meaning  upon  them;  especially  since,  taken  in  their 'natural  meaning,  they 
convey  no  idea  inconsistent  with  the  divine  holiness,  nnd  with  the  freedom 
of  man,  and  his  being  wholly  blamable  for  every  deviation  in  his  heart  from 
the  divine  law;  and  since  they  appear  perfectly  consistent  with  the  words  of 
.James,  upon  a  careful  examination  of  them. 

'•  [  have  been  greatly  pleased  with  the  distinguished  piety  and  zeal  of 
Messrs.  Carey  and  Thomas,  and  am  glad  to  hear  that  they  are  of  your  senti 
ments,  which'  I  before  hoped,  and  even  supposed.  We  wish  them  success, 
and  doubtless  thousands  are  praying  for  them  in  America. 

"I  rejoice  that  any  circumstances  in  England  give  you  opportunity  to 
spread  your  sentiments.  I  have,  for  some  years,  felt  my  heart  united  to  Dr. 
Uyland,  yourself,  and  Messrs.  Sutclill*  and  1'earce,  in  esteem  and  affection. 
May  prosperity  attend  your  attempts  to  support,  and  propagate  the  truth  ;  to 
promote  the  cause  of  Christ  and  the.  salvation  of  sinners.  I  am  your  obliged, 
affectionate  friend,  S.  HOI-KINS. 

"  Reverend  Andrew  Fuller." 

There  was  one  other  point,  on  which  Mr.  Fuller  held  n  contro 
versial  correspondence  with  Hopkins.  It  must  have  IKMMI  grateful 
to  our  American  divine,  to  perceive  that  the  objections  of  his  Kng- 
lish  friend  related,  not  to  tho  doctrines  of  ability,  active  sin,  per 
sonally  merited  imputation,  but  to  the  less  fundamental  peculiarities 


MEMOIR.  227 

of  the  Hopkinsian  faith.     Referring  to  an  epistle  from  the  "  mighty 
reosoner,"  Mr.  Fuller  writes : 

"  Dr.  Hopkins  thinks  that  I  have  given  up  the  doctrine  of  disinterested  love, 
because  I  have  observed  concerning  David,  —  when  ho  said,  'Here  I  am,  let 
him  do  with  me  us  scemoth  good  in  his  night,'  —  that  ho  could  not  moan  by 
this,  If  God  have  no  love  to  my  soul,  I  submit  to  be  forever  separated  from 
him;  for  such  submission  is  not  required  of  any  who  lives  under  a  dispensa 
tion  of  mercy.  —  I  have  written  an  answer  to  Dr.  Hopkins,  in  which  I  have 
defended  that  position.  He  is  a,  mighty  rcasoncr ;  but  on  this  subject  I  fool 
iny  ground.  Should  ho  furnish  a  reply,  the  correspondence  may  hereafter  be 
published." 

The-  friendly  correspondence  of  Hopkins  with  Dr.  John  Ryland, 
was  as  extensive  as  that  with  Andrew  Fuller.  It  sometimes,  though 
rarely,  took  the  form  of  dispute  ;  hut  in  all  his  letters,  Dr.  Kyland 
never  seems  to  controvert  any  of  the  more  essential  doctrines  of 
Hopkins,  such  as  those  relating  to  the  nature  of  sin,  natural  power, 
etc.,  but  ho  criticizes  the  ambiguous  propositions,  that  (Jod  is  tin; 
author  of  moral  evil,  and  that  men  should  be  willing  to  be  lost.  One 
of  the  last  letters  which  Hopkins  ever  wrote,  was  a  defence  of  bis 
misunderstood  opinions  on  these  topics,  against  the  criticisms  of  bis 
very  amiable  friend.*  The  influence)  which  Hopkins  (.'.verted  upon 
"  that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loud,"  i.s  indicated  in  the  following  words 
of  Robert  Hull: 

"The  system  of  divinity  to  which  he  [Dr.  Ryland]  adhered,  was  moderate 
Calvinism,' us  modelled  and  explained  by  that  prodigy  of  metaphysical  acu 
men,  the  celebrated  Jonathan  Kdwards.  For  the  writings  of  this  great  man, 
and  those  of  his  followers,!  ho  formed  a  warm  predilection  vorv  early,  which 
continued  ever  after  to  exert  a  powerful  influence  on  his  public  ministry,  as 
well  as  his  theological  inquiries  and  pursuits.  It  inspired  him  with  the  most 
elevated  conceptions  of  the  moral  character  of  the  Deitv,  to  the  display  of 
which  it  taught  him  to  refer  the  whole  economy  of  providence  and  ot  jfrnce, 
while  he  inculcated  the  indispensable  duty  of  loving  Cod,  not  merely  for  the 
benefits  he  bestows,  but  for  wlrat  he  in  in  himself,  as  essential  to  true  religion. 
Hence,  he  held  in  abhorrence  those  pretended  religious  utlections  which  Jnvo 
their  termination  in  self.  Whether  he  attached  on  undue  importance  to  thfsr> 
speculations,  and  rendered  them  occasionally  too  prominent  in  his  public  min 
istrations,  it  is  not  for  me  to  determine;  it  is  certain  that  they  cflectnally  se 
cured  him  from  the  slightest  tendency  to  Antinomianisiu,  mid  contributed  not 
a  little  to  jrivo  purity  and  elevation  to  his  religious  views.  The  two  extremes, 
against  which,  you  are  well  aware,  he  was  most  solicitous  to  guard  the  reli 
gious  public  were,  Pelagian  pride  and  Antinomian  licentiousness;  the  first  of 
which  he  detested  as  nn  insult  on  the  grace  of  the  gospel ;  the  last,  on  the 
majesty  and  authority  of  the  law."  J 

*  Soo  the  I.otlrr  nt  the  end  of  vol.  ii.  of  Hopkins'*  Works,  new  ctlilion. 

t  To  some  il  may  npnrur  singular,  thm  Mr.  Hall  should  denominate  the  ihonlogy  of 
these  men,  "  moderate  Calvinism."  It  was  "  moderate  Calvinism,"  in  some  of  its  rela 
tions,  nnd  "  lii^li  Calvinism,"  in  other  relation*. 

t  Sec  «  Funeral  Sermon  for  Dr.  Kyland,"  in  Hall's  Works,  vol.  i.  pp.  220,  221.  It 
could  not  have  been  expected  that  Mr.  Hall,  so  sensitive  to  tho  graces  of  English  style, 
ihould  bo  an  nd.nirer  of  "the  American  divines  of  tho  Hopkinsinn  itntnp."'  In  IfiOO— 
1801,  ho  uttered  a  sharp  criticism  upon  them,  "  President  Edwards  alwnys  cxccptcd," 
who  was  considered  by  Mr.  Hall  as  bearing  "  the  Hopkinsian  stamp."  Hall  was 


228  MEMOIR. 

That  Hopkins  wna  one  of  tlio  principal  Edwnrdenns  who  had  this 
power  over  the  English  divine,  is  evident  from  several  facts.  Dr. 
Ilyland  was  wont  to  express  a  higher  reverence  for  our  author,  than 
for  any  other  of  President  Edwnrds'a  disciples.  lie  maintained  a 
more  instructive  correspondence  with  Hopkins  than  with  any  Ameri 
can  divine,  He  was  introduced  hy  Hopkins  to  Dr.  West  and  others, 
who  continued,  through  their  correspondence,  to  preserve,  in  their 
estimable  friend,  the  same  regard  which  had  been  cherished  in  him 
by  the  Newport  divine,  for  our  Kdwardean  theology. 

Q.    Jfomc  Correspondence  on   Throhgy. 

More  than  vwo  hundred  of  Hopkins's  letters  to  Dr.  ftuell,  Dr. 
Duvies,  and  New  England  ministers  and  laymen,  arc  still  preserved. 
A  large  number  of  these  are  theological.  Some  of  tlrem  show  his  ac 
tivity  in  exciting  his  brethren  to  those  labors,  which  have  resulted  in 
so  much  of  spiritual  benefit  to  our  churches.  As  Robert  Hall  loved 
to  set  bis  "  brother  Fuller's  troops  in  motion,"  so  Hopkins  gave  im 
pulse  to  minds  which  worked  nobly  for  their  race.  The  world  are 
indebted  to  him  for  various  animating  letters,  like  the  following  to 
Bellamy : 

"February  20,  175.").  I  find  throe  neighboring  ministers  have  a  grcnt  es 
teem  of  .Mr,  •//.v/i/cy'.t  Hennons  on  (.^lurches  consisting  of  Saints  ;  tind  I  believe 
it  is  generally  thought,  by  those  that  oppose  Mr.  Kuwaiti*,  to  be  the  best  thing 
tint  has  been  published,  ;uul  even  ununswentblo.  Mr.  Williams's  piece  is 
wholly  done  with,  and  this  is  trumpeted  up.  Now,  if  Mr.  Ashley'*  scheme  in 
built  upon  a  nonentity,  (<t!i<i.v,  upon  a  few  of  bis  peremptory  assertions  only,) 
tind  contains  a  number  of  palpable  contradictions,  would  it  not  answer  a  ffoou 
end  to  have  this  well  made  out  before  the  world?  1  think  it  miiy  easily  bo 
dune,  if  undertaken  by  one  equal  to  the  task;  and  since  Mr.  Edwards  will  not 
deign  so  much  as  to  read  Ashley's  performance,  if  I  had  the  ordering  of  the 
matter,  I  would  allot  this  business  to  J/OH. —  A  sermon  upon  the  same  text, 
mid  in  much  the  same  method  with  Mr.  Ashley's,  with  a  fVw  particular  obser 
vations  upon  Mr.  Ashley's,  in  an  Anpeudix,  mifjht  perhaps  answer  the  end 
well.  If  this  is  not  the 'best  method,  then  set  1'uulirtus  and  Agrippa  to  dia 
loguing." 

One  more  extract  from  his  letters,  will  illustrate  the  abstruse  and 
philosophical  style  in  which  some  of  them  are  written.  The  follow 
ing  is  a  -part  of  a  truly  Edwardean  communication  to  President 
Davics,  of  Princeton  : 

"  April  ii*2, 17(>0.  Reverend  nnd  honored  Sir :  As  I  wns  with  the  Rov.'Mr. 
Bellamy  about  the  tiiuo  yours  of  tho  third  of  February  cutne  to  baud,  ho  gave 
me  one  of  the  questions  you  proposed  to  be  considered  and  answered,  and 
insisted  on  my  .writing  my  thoughts  upon  it,  and  Bending1  them  to  you.  This 

particularly  severe  r.pmnst  ihc  excellent  Dr.  Spring,  of  Ncwbufyport.  Hut  Mr.  Morris,  in 
recording  this  criticism,  snys  :  "  It  is  not  believed  he  [Mr.  Hnllj  would  have  formed  cx- 
nctly  the  snino  opinio'n  at  a  later  period  of  life."  Sec  Morris's  Recollections  of  Robert 
Hall,  pp.  1)5.  9G. 


MEMOIR.  229 

must  be  my  apology  for  what  I  have  now  undertaken ;  not,  indeed,  to,  give 
you  any  light  and  instruction,  but  for  my  own  profit  and  the  advantage  of 
truth.  For  I  consider,  myself  as  one  of  your  pupils,  to  whom  you  give  out 
questions,  that  by  answering  them  they  may  improve  their  own  minds,  and 
give  you  an  opportunity  nud  advantage  to  correct  their  mistakes,  and  pommu- 
nicate  the  instruction  you  are  able  to  give. 

44  You  query,  4  Is  happiness  so  essential  to  the  goodness  of  the  universe, 
that  it  is  by  so  much  the  more  perfect  or  excellent,  by  how  much  the  more 
happiness  there  w  in  it  ?' 

44 1  answer  in  the  ath'rmative.  Doubtless  happiness  is  something  in  H self 
valuable,  which  is  to  bo  valued,  desired,  and  sought,  for  its  own  wake.  And 
if  so,  then  the  more  there  is  of  it  the  better;  and  that  system  which  has  the 
most  happiness  in  it,  is  the  best  and  most  perfect;  and  that  plan  alone  is  abso 
lutely  perfect,  in  wlu'ch  there  is  provision  for  the  highest  possible  degree  of 
h  ipuiness.  This  appears  to  inn  undeniably  true,  unless  there  is  something 
which  is  in  itself  of  greater  worth  and  importance,  and  so  more  to  be  valued 
th:in  happiness,  with  which  the  greatest  possible  degree  of  happiness  is  incon 
sistent  ;  so  that  the  more  happiness  them  is  in  the  universe,  the  less  there 
will  be  of  that.  On  such  a  supposition,  [the  system  is  not  the  most  perfect 
which  admit)  the  greatest  degree  of  happiness,  but  the  system  is  the  most 
perfect]  *  which  admits  more  of  that  which  is  more  valuable  and  excellent 
than  happiness,  and  which  the  greatest  degree  of  happiness  necessarily 
excludes. 

"  Hut  is  there  any  such  thing  possible  in  nature?  Perhaps  it  will  be  said, 
Yes,  —  the  glory  of  God  is  of  more  worth  than  the  happiness  of  the  creature, 
and  therefore  happiness  must  give  way  to  this,  nnd  that  system  is  most  per 
fect  and  excellent  in  which  God's  glory  is  most  displayed,  though  it  be  at  the 
expense  of  the  creature's  happiness ;  for  misery  wvj  be  equally,  yea,  more 
illustrative  oftfif  divint  #/»n/  than  happiness. 

u  I  answer,  Though  it  may  be  true  that,  in  order  to  the  greatest  display  of 
Clod's  glory,  there  must  be  misery,  yet  it  does  not  follow,  tlmt  the  brightest 
display  of  the  divine  glory  is  inconsistent  with  th^  greatest  possible  degree 
of  happiness.  It  mny  be  necessary,  in  order  to  the  greatest  possible  degree 
of  happiness,  tint  there  should  bo  a  great  degree  of  misery;  yea,  it  mny  bo 
neress;\ry  in  order  to  the  greatest  invisible  degree  of  happiness,  that  there 
should  be  tin  greatest  possible  display  of  the  divine  glory.  If  the  happiness 
of  the  creature  consists,  summarily,  in  the  knowledge  and  enjoyment  of  God, 
then  the  happiness  of  the  creature  will  keep  pace  with  the  manifestations 
Clod  makes  of  himself;  so  that  (lod's  glorifying  himself  in  the  highest  possi 
ble  degree,  is  not  only  not  inconsistent  with,  but  r.rcessnry  to,  the  greatest 
possible  happiness,  nnd  they  are  both  inseparably  cemented  together. 

44  What  is  meant  by  the  glory  of  (Iod,  or  Clod's  glorifying  himself,  but  his 
communicating  himself  n't  cjrlrtt  to  the  creature,  —  to  tho  understanding  nnd 
will  of  intelligences  in  knowledge,  holiness,  and  happiness  ?  If  HO,  then  God's 
highest  declarative  glory  and  the  greatest  degree  ot  holiness  and  happiness  are 
inseparably  united.  And  [though]  we  are  wont  to  speak  of  the  glory  of  (Iod 
and  the  Inppinoss  of  the  creature  as  distinct  things,  and  as  ditferent  and 
separate  ends  which  (Iod  has  in  view  in  his  works,  yet,  perhaps,  in  reality 
they  are  but  one  and  the  same,  and  therefore  viewed  ns  such  by  the  divine, 
all-comprehending  Mind.  We  shall  see  this  point  particularly  considered, 
when  the  late  President  Edwurds's  Dissertation  on  the  End  ot  God  in  Cre 
ating  the  World  is  published. 

44  The  way  is  n<)w  prepared  for  an  answer  to  the  last  clause  of  your  ques 
tion,  — 4  May  not  tho  permission  of  sin  be  vindicated,  without  supposing  it  in 
subservient  to  the  greater  happiness  ?' 

44 1  answer  in  the  negative.     For  it  cannot  bo  vindicated,  without  supposing 

*  Ono-luio  of  the  manuscript  is  illegible. 
t 


230  MEMOIR. 

it  ii  for  the  greater  glory  of  God  ;  and  this  necessarily  supposes  that  'tis  for 
tho  greater  happiness. 

"Perhaps  some  will  object  to  all  this,  that  'tis  certain  that  there  is  not  so 
much  happiness  in  the  universe  aa  there  might  have  been  ;  and,  therefore, 
if  the  more  happiness  there  is,  tho  more  perfect  and  excellent  it  is,  tho  uni 
verse  is  not  so  perfect  anc)  excellent  as  it  might  have  been.  God  might  have 
mado  a  thousand  intelligences  to  behold  his  glory  and  be  happy  in  communi 
cations  from  him,  where  there  is  one  now  ;  and  then  there  would  have  been 
a  thousand  times  as  much  happiness,  as  now  there  in  or  ever  will  be.  Now, 
if  tho  more  happiness  there  is,  tho  more  perfect  nnd  excellent  the  universe  is, 
why  lias  not  Cod  created  more  to  be  happy?  Why  docs  he  confine  himself 
to  BO  small  a  number? 

"Answer  I.  The  namo  objection  may  bo  made  to  tho  hypothesis,  that  the 
moro  Cod  is  glorified,  tho  more  perfect  and  excellent  tho  universe  is,  nnd  that 
this  is  nought  as  distinct  from  and  inconsistent  with  the  greatest  happiness. 
It  may  be  said,  that  Cod  has  not  glorified  himself  so  much  as  lie  might;  for 
he  might  have  made  a  thousand  worlds  where  he  has  mrtde  one,  and  so  have 
made  much  greater  displays  of  his  own  glory. 

41  Answer  II.  This  objection  must  be  groundless  nnd  absurd,  it  being  no 
more  of  an  obiect  ion  against  Cod's  creating  no  more  intelligences  to  be  Imppy 
than  he  has,  than  it  would  be  against  Cod's  creating  no  more,  if  he  had  cre 
ated  millions  of  millions  where  he  has  one.  The  question  might  still  be  asked, 
with  as  much  propriety  as  now  it  is,  Why  did  he  not  create  more  ?  This  is 
a  demand  which  cannot  bo  satisfied  ;  for,  I  may  sav,  Coil  could  not  create  so 
many,  but  that  more  might  have  been  created.  The  question  would  still  re 
main,  Why  did  he  not  'create  more?  Now,  that  objection  which  is  made 
against  a  particular  ease,  as  being  so  rather  than  otherwise,  is  certainly  frivo 
lous,  which  equally  lies  against  all  other  supposablc  cases.  'Tis  a  senseless 
question,  which  demands  why  Cod  did  not  create  a  thousand  intelligences 
where  ho  has  one,  when,  if  he  had,  there  would  be  just  as  much  reason  to 
object  against  his  creating  no  more,  and  to  ask  why  he  did  not  create  a 
million,  —  and  so  on,  in  inj'inititin. 


"In  order  to  the  greatest  display  of  Cod's  glory,  and  the  highest  poHsible 
degree  of  happiness,  there  must  (notwithstanding  any  thing  we  know)  bo  a 
certain  precise  number  of  happy  creatures,  with  such  capacities  and  in  such 
circumstances.  And  as  infinite  wisdom  waa  perfectly  able  to  determine  this, 
doubtless  that  very  number,  those  very  capacities  and  circumstances,  have 
been  pitched  ujxm  by  Cod,  which  will  in  the  best  and  highest  degree  answer 
this  end  and  produce  tho  greatest  jK>ssible  happiness  ;  or,  in  other  words,  by 
which  Cod  may  communicate  himself  in  the  best  and  fullest  manner,  and  to 
the  highest  possible  degree. 

"Mr.  T.  Edwards  informs  me,  that  you  desire  a  short  sketch  of  President 
Edwnrds's  private  life.  This  is  a  very  difficult  task,  nnd  I  think  it  quite  im 
possible  for  me  to  do  justice  to  the  memory  of  that  great  and  eminently  pious 
man,  in  such  an  attempt;  yet  perhaps  silence,  in  such  a  case,  would  be  yet 
greater  injustice.  —  [Mr.  Hopkins  here  gives  a  lengthened  account  of  Ed 
wards'*  religious  and  social  habits.] 

"The  hope  and  joy  of  many,  which  were  greatly  raised  upon  Mr.  Ed\rards's 
being  invested  with  tho  presidency  of  Nassau  Hall,  were  soon  damped  by  his 
Buddcn  departure.  Hut  Cod,  in  Ins  great  goodness,  has  caused  a  new  day  to 
dawn.  I  shall  doubtless  8t>enk  tho  sentiments  of  all  tho  greatest  and  best 
friends  to  Mr.  Edwards  and  the  interests  of  tho  college,  when  I  nay  that  the 
vacancy  is  supplied  more  to  their  satisfaction  than  [it]  could  have  been  in  any 
other  person.  And  I  cannot  but  congratulate  you,  worthy  sir,  on  your  being 
placed  in  this  station  so  much  to  the  general  acceptance  of  the  public,  and  ot 
the  college  in  particular;  in  which  you  have  opportunity  to  improve  your  tal 
ents  to  such  noble  purposes.  May  it  be  seen  that  you  have  caught  the  falling 
mantle,  and  [may  it]  be  said,  '  Tho  spirit  (yea,  a  double  portion  of  the  spirit) 


MEMOIR.  201 

of  Elijah  doth  rest  on  Elisha ! '  May  you  bo  enabled  to  anawer  the  expecta 
tions  of  all  tho  friends  of  Zion,  and  become  a  moat  extensive  blessing  to  the 
church  of  Christ" 

R.    Collected  Works. 

Nearly  all  tho  published  works  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  comprising  more 
than  two  thousand  octavo  pages,  were  reprinted  in  1852,  by  the  Doc 
trinal  Tract  and  Book  Society.  The  writings  not  reprinted  by  tho 
Society,  are  his  four  Biographies,  his  "Animadversions  on  Mr.  Hart's 
Lato  Dialogue,"  and  thu  larger  part  of  his  essays  for  the  periodi 
cals.  It  is  a  fitting  tribute  to  the  memory  of  this  philanthropist,  that 
a  Society  founded  by  his  reverential  disciples,  and  aided  by  one  of 
his  estimable  grandsons,  should  rise  up  to  fulfil  a  prophocj  which 
he  once  intimated  in  bis  modest  way  :  "  I  still  believe,  [that  my 
system]  is,  in  the,  main,  right.  Dr.  Cotton  Mather,  who  published 
sixty  books  or  more,  which  had  not  a  very  current  sale,  said  to  his 
printer,  «  After  I  am  dead,  they  will  read  my  books.' " 


SECT.  XLV.    HOFKINS'S  CONFIDENCE  IN  HIS  THEOLOGICAL  SYSTEM. 

The  last  quotation  suggests  the  fact,  that  with  all  tho  modesty  of 
our  author,  he  had  a  manly  faith  in  his  own  creed ;  and  with  all  his 
confidence  in  that  creed  as  a  whole,  he  believed  and  hoped  that  his 
successors  would  make  improvements  upon  it.  "  There  is  no  reason 
to  doubt,"  he  says  in  his  seventy-second  year,  "  that  light  will  so 
increase  in  the  church,  and  men  will  be  raised  up,  who  will  make 
such  advances  in  opening  the  Scripture  and  in  tire  knowledge  of 
divine  truth,  that  what  is  now  done  and  written  will  be  so  far  super 
seded  as  to  appear  imperfect  and  inconsiderable,  compared  with  that 
superior  light,  with  which  the  church  will  then  be  blessed."  *  It  is 
honorable  for  the  loader  of  a  school  to  avow,  after  a  life  of  sutlering 
for  his  faith,  that  his  own  scheme  is  not  perfect,  and  that  in  tho 
millennium  a  church  will  arise,  *»  which  will  have  all  that  is  good, 
right,  and  excellent  in  the  different  denominations  and  churches  that 
exist  now  or  have  been,  and  will  renounce  all  the  superstitions  and 
corruptions,  in  principle  or  practice,  which  have  taken  place."  t  In 
his  seventy-seventh  year,  this  veteran  in  theology  said  to  his  friend 
Dr.  R  viand: 


"  As  to  my  writings,  I  have  not  tho  least  doubt  of  the  truth  and  importance 
of  most  of  tho  sentiments  I  have  published,  but  do  not  pretend  to  bo  certnin 
that  every  tiling  I  have  proposed  is  true,  or  that  I  have  explained  and  vindi 
cated  every  doctrine  ia  tho  best  manner.  I  do  not  wish  any  ono  to  receive 
what  I  have  written  implicitly';  bat  think  I  have  a  right  to  be  heard  without 
prejudice  and  with  candor.  1  thank  you  for  the  pains  you  have  taken  to  eflcct 

*  Preface  to  lii*  System. 

f  Hopkins's  Works,  vol.  ii.  p.  75. 


£32  MEMOIR. 

this.*  It  is  with  pleasure  I  expect  to  havo  all  tho  mistakes  and  errors  in  my 
publications  detected  and  exploded  ;  and  all  the  truth  contained  in  them  set 
in  a  much  clearer  and  more  advantageous  light;'  and  great  advances  made, 
for  beyond  what  I  have  attained,  or  even  all  the  divines  who  havo  written." 

In  his  extreme  old  ngc,  he  was  "  nsked  by  n  clergyman,  whether, 
if  ho  should  write  his  System  over  again,  he  would  not  mnko  some 
nlterations  in  it.  lie  replied,  «I  do  not  arrogate  to  myself  infalli 
bility',  and  perhaps  some  'Sngs  in  it  might  be  altered  to  advantage.' 
*  Hut  would  you,'  eontiiu,  d  the  clergyman,  *  make  any  alteration  in 
the  .sentiments  1  '  liaising  bin  withered  arm,  and  kindling  witli  tin: 
glow  of  youthful  energy,  he  brought  it  down  with  a  bolt-tun  and 
emphatic  —  '  No  :  I  (tin  tri/dng  to  rr.*t  my  foul  on  thnn.fonvcrfi 

About  two  years  before  bis  death,  be  said  to  hi*  people,  in  a  .ser 
mon  : 

"  I  have  not  shunned  to  docln.ro  unto  you  nil  tho  counsel  of  (Jod,  HO  far  a* 
I  have  understood  what  it  was  ......  Some  of  tho  doctrines  which  I  liuve 

preached  and  published  have  been  opposed  from  tho  press  and  the  pulpit,  and 
moro  privately,  and  havo  not  been  understood,  and  [have  been]  represented  ns 
horrible  nnd  mischievous,  tending  to  destroy  all  true  religion,  &c.  Hut.  nil  this 
ban  no  impression  on  me,  to  excite  the  least  doubt  of  the  Uulb  of  the  doctrines 
HO  opposed,  or  to  incline  mo  to  cease  to  assort  and  vindicate;  them.  I  havo 
Kiieh  el-eur  and  full  conviction,  and  unshaken  confidence,  that  tin?  doctrines 
which  1  have  for  a  long  course  of  years  preached  nnd  maintained,  are  the  truths 
contained  in  the  Bible,  that  I  stand  us  a  bray.cn  wall,  unhurt,  and  not  moved 
by  all  tho  shafts  of  opposition  and  reproach  which  have  been  levelled  at  me, 
and  the  system  of  truth  and  religion  which  I  havo  espoused;  being  usaureu 
tint  it  will  stand  forever;  and  certain  beyond  a  douhtjTrotn  Scripture,  reason, 
and  experience,  that  a  cordial  belief  nnd  love  of  these  truths,?  with  religious 
exercises  and  conduct  agreeable  to  them,  is  connected  with  salvation,  and  is 
u  sulliciont  ground  of  support  and  comfort  under  the  greatest  trials,  and  in 
the  nearest,  view  of  death  and  eternity.  On  this  foundation  I  cheerfully  rest 
my  eternal  interest,  which  indeed  is  infinite,  nnd  invite  all  to  do  the  same."  j 

The  discourse  from  which  the  preceding  paragraph  is  taken,  was 
published  u  few  weeks  before  its  author's  death.  It  is  eminently 
characteristic  of  linn..  A  man  so  modest  and  louly  must  have  bad  ti 
linn  confidence  in  tho  truth  and  the  worth  of  bis  speculations,  or  be 
would  not  have  dared  to  preMcb,  still  less  to  publish,  u  sermon  en 
titled  ••  The  Author's  l'are\\ell  to  the  World."  Au  equally  interc  >l- 
itig  illustration  of  the  same  faith  overpowering  bis  personal  dillidencc, 
is  seen  in  tho  Dedication  of  bin  Treati>e  on  the  Millennium.  It  is 
dedicated  "To  tlio  Pcoplo  \vlio  shall  live  ill  the  Days  of  the  Mil 
lennium  ;  "  and  it  commences  thus  : 

"  /AnV,  )/c  /»///>;»/  /Yo/;,'r,  itiffliliifnvorrtl  of  Ihc  //on/.     To  you  tho  following 
eatise  oil  tho  Millennium  is  dedicated,  as  you  will 


treatise  oil  tho  Millennium  is  dedicated,  as  you  will  li\uinthat  happy  era, 

•   Dr.  Ilylnnd  !>nd  oxrrtod  himself  much  lo  ivirculato  llopkiiu'l  System  nnd  Ms  oilier 

rk*,  in  Kn^lninl. 

t   FiTfjnson'n  Memoir,  p.  l.xl.     Sec  ulxo  1'nttcn's  Reminiscence*,  Introduction,  po. 

Sco  Hopkiiu'i  Work»,  vol.  iii.  pp.  708,  769. 


XI.    X 


MEMOIR.  233 

and  enjoy  the  good  of  it  in  a  much  higher  degree  than  it  can  now  be  enjoyed 
in  tho  prospect  of  it;  and  that  you  may  know,  if  this  book  shall  be  conveyed 
down  to  your  time,  what  is  now  thought  of  you,  kind  of  the  happy  day  in  which 
you  will  como  on  tho  stage  of  lifo.  You  willLbe  ablo  to  seo  the  mistakes 
wliich  are  now  made  on  tin's  head ;  and  how  rur  what  is  advanced  hero  in 
agreeable  to  that  which  is  noted  in  the  Scripture  of  truth,  and  a  true  and 
proper  description  of  tho  events  which  an)  to  take  place,  and  to  rectify  every 
mistake.  All  is  therefore  humbly  submitted  to  your  better  judgment. 

This  "Dedication  to  tbc  Millcnarians"  was  condemned  by  Dr. 
Jonathan  Edwards,  us  tho  reader  has  perceived  on  p.  '207  above.  It 
is,  however,  as  ail  exhibition  of  u  modest  man's  assurance,  so  pecu- 
linr  that  it  would  have  been  a  pity  to  expunge  it. 


SECT.   XLVI.    TESTIMONIES  IN  FAVOR  OF  HOPKINS  AND  OF  HIS 
THEOLOGY. 

Throughout  this  Memoir  many  expressions  have  been  made,  in 
dicating  the  deference  with  which  Mr.  Hopkins  was  treated  by  some 
of  bis  contemporaries.  Without  recurring  to  those  expressions,  we 
will  simply  refer  to  a  few  other  testimonies  which  were  given  in  favor 
of  this  much  injured  man. 

At  a  time  when  a  doctorate  of  divinity  meant  something,  Mr. 
Hopkins  received  that  honor  from  Brown  University.  It  was  given 
him  iu  171)0,  at  the  same  time  that  the  degree  of  »*  doctor  of  laws  " 
was  conferred  by  the  same  university  upon  (icorgo  Washington.  It 
was  conferred  during  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Manning,  who  was  not 
on  terms  of  personal  friendship  with  tho  leading  Congregationnliuts 
of  Newport.  Hut  the  excellence  of  Mr.  Hopkins's  character  secured 
the  esteem  of  all  candid  linen. 

Dr.  Patten  narrates  the  following  incident : 

"Some  time  after  Dr.  Hopkins  had  sent  his  manuscript '  System  of  Divinity,' 
to  be  printed,  he  was  obliged  to  go  to  Boston  to  inspect  tho  press.  While 
there,  Dr.  Clarke,  who  had  been  the  collenguo  and  was  then  the  successor  of 
Dr.  Chauncy,  invited  him  to  preach  tho  Thursday  lecture  for  hint.  Dr.  II. 
declined.  '\V by,  are  you  not  in  health?'  *  Yes,  sir.'  '  Why  then,'  replied 
Dr.  Clarke,  with  urgency,  'do  you  decline?'  'Since  you  are  HO  candid  as  to 
wish  me  to  preach,  [suid  Dr.  Hopkins,]  I  will  tell  you  the- reason.  My  manner 
in  not  polished,  and  my  doctrines  do  not  agree  with  yours,  nnd  I  cannot  aceom- 
module  myself  to  tho  occasion  ns  your  substitute;  and  if  I  preach  at  all,  it 
must,  be  as  I  am  accustomed  to  preach  in  my  own  pulpit,  and  tliis,  if  it  should 
not  be  a  mortification  to  you,  might  bring  on  you  some  reproach.'  'I  do  not 
wish,'  replied  Dr.  Clarke,  'that  you  should  attempt  to  accommodate  yourself 
to  any  one;  you  cannot  gratify  me  more  thnn  to  preach  your  own  doctrines, 
in  your  own  wa^.  This  is  precisely  what  I  wish.'  'Then,'  said  Dr.  II.,  '1 
will  preach.'  It  providentially  happened,  that  a  Scotch  gentleman  of  Rox- 
bury,  [nearly  related  to]  Governor  Sumnsr's  wife,  was  at  tho  lecture.  On 
leaving  the  house,  ho  expressed  strong  approbation  of  tho  preacher ;  said  ho 
was  such  a  looking  man  and  such  a  preacncr  as  he  had  been  accustomed  to 
hear  in  Scotland  ;  and  on  learning  his  name,  and  that  ho  had  a  email  and  pro- 


234 


MEMOIR. 


carious  salary,  made  him  &  present,  to  tho  amount,  it  is  believed,  of  five  or  six 

hundred  dollars."  * 

The  reputation  which  Dr.  llopkins's  works  acquired  in  Great  Brit- 
nin,  in  the  day  when  men  asked,  "Who reads  an  American  hook?  " — 
was  a  sign  of  their  intrinsic  value.  Such  men  as  Poarce,  Thomson, 
Carey,  SutclifV,  expressed  in  various  ways  their  regard  for  the  "pious 
metaphysician."  The  Karl  of  Huclmn  sent  an  elegant  ]>ortrait  of 
himself,  as  "  n  token  of  his  warm  attachment/'  flo  Dr.  Hopkins. 
There  were- more  suhserihors  for  his  System  in  (»rt>at  Britain,  than 
among  all  the  "  white;  inhahitants"  of  Ilhodu  Island. 

A  signal  honor  which  Dr.  Hopkins  has  received,  is  the  esteem  of 
all  his  theological  oppo*ers  who  were  personally  acquainted  with  him. 
\o  divine  in  this  eountry,  lias  felt  a  greater  ropitgnaneo  than  Dr. 
(shunning,  to  our  author's  creed  ;  and  tlic  cncnmiufrid  of  dimming 
were;  elicited  simj)ly  hy  the-  fact,  that  he  fcnrifl  the  character  of  the 
man  who  was  regarded  as  so  much  hetter  than  his  efced.  IJy  whom 
was  tho  New  Divinity  more  steadfastly  opposed,  during  the;  last  cen 
tury,  than  hy  President  Stiles?  Hut  in  the  very  height  of  his 
opposition  to  it,  he  discloses  his  own  and  the  general  opinion,  that 
Hopkins  was  hoth  a  great,  and  a  good  man.  II  H  statements  are; 
instructive,  even  when  they  arc;  incorrect.  They  illustrate  the,  char- 
ncter  of  tin;  resistance,  which  was  made  to  what  he  calls  ««  the 
I']nrrk(t$  of  New  Divinity."  In  the  satirical  style  of  the  following 
extract  from  his  Literary  Diary,  he  reveals  much  (hat  is  honorahln 
to  las  chief  opponent : 

"  August  10,  17H7.  Reverend  Messrs.  Hopkins,  West,  Anr/.i  Louis,  Fow 
ler,  and  some  low  oilier  New  Divinity  gentlemen,  an;  beginning  to  hold,  that 
the  faith  of  parents  in  the  net  of  baptismal  dedication  insures  grace  and  real 
holiness  to  linpti/.ed  children.  Reverend  Messrs.  Sunford,  (brother-in-law  of 
Mr.  Hopkins,)  Kmmons,  Smalloy,  Foster,  nnd  some  others,  an;  beginning  to 
concur  with  Mr.  Haoou  in  denying  a  real  vicarious  suH'cring  in  Christ's  atone 
ment.  They  hold  atonement.,  but  deny  it  in  tin;  orthodox  nnd  Calvinistic 
HOIISC.  Messrs.  Hopkins,  West,  &c.,  dill'er  from  them,  nnd  hold  the  atoinMnent 
in'tlu;  just,  Hcripturul  sense.  Tho  New  Divinity  gentlemen  are  getting  into 
contusion,  and  running  into  dillerent  Hontimonts.  They  nrt;  generally  giving 
up  tho  doctrine  of  I'f/iym/rf/f'on,  both  in  original  .»i'/i,  nnd  in  juslijinition.  They 
ILTO  dropping  nnd  leaving  oil'  the  diction  of  'love  to  being  in  general,1  ns  do- 
Horibing  (lie  nature  of  holiness;  and  Homo  of  I  hem,  receding  from  disinterested 
benevolence,  are  going  into  th.1  idea,  that  all  holv  motive  operates  as  termi- 
r:>tin^  in  personal  h.inpiness,  while  others  are  still  willing  to  bo  damned  lor 
tho  glory  of  (iod  and  the  good  of  the  universe. 

"They  (Now  Divinity  gentlemen)  perceive  some  of  the  pillars  are  removed, 
nnd  others  shaken  and  tailing;  President  Kdwards  has  beta  dead  twenty-nine 
years,  or  a  generation;  Dr.  llelhuny  is  broken  down,  both  body  nnd  mind, 
with  a  paralytic,  shock,  and  can  dictate  and  domineer  no  more;  Mr.  Hopkins 
still  continues,  but  past  his  force,  having  been  somewhat  ullected  by  a  lit  and 
nervous  debilitation;  Mr.  West  is  declining  in  health,  and,  besides,  was  never 
full  so  Btrong  rods  OH  tho  others.  It  biw  been  the  /on,  to  direct  BtudOata  in 

•  Fallcu'i  Ucminincencci,  pp.  130-131. 


MEMOIR.  235 

divinity,  these  thirty  years  post,  to  read  tho  Bible,  President  Edwards,  Dr. 
Bellamy,  and  Mr.  Ilopkins's  writings;  —  and  this  was  a  pretty  good  suffi 
ciency  of  reading.  But  now  the  younger  class,  but  yet  in  full  vigor,  suppose 
tiny  sco  further  than  those  oracles,  and  aro  disposed  to  become  oracles  them- 
KiMvc?,  and  wish  to  write  theology  .and  have  their  hooks  coino  into  vogue. 
T!ie  very  New  Divinity  gentlemen  s:iy,  they  perceive  a  disposition  among 
several  of  their  brethren  to  Htrugglo  for  nreeininnncQ  ;  —  particularly  Dr.  Kd- 
wards,  Mr.  Trumbnll,  Mr,  Sinalloy,  Mr.Jiidrton,  Mr,  Spring,  Mr.  Robinson,* 
Air.  Strong  of  Hurt  ford,  Mr.  D  wight,  Air.  Kmmons,  and  others,  They  all 
w.-nit  to  be  Lnthers.  But  they  will  nono  of  them  bo  equal  to  thoso  strong 
r"isnn:«iw.  President  Edwards  and  Mr,  Hopkins. 

4-  President  Kdwards's  valuable  writing:*  in  another  generation  will  nas.-j 
info  MM  transient  notion,  perhaps,  as  scarce  abovo  oblivion,  an  Willard,  or 
T  .vi>n,  or  Nort.on  ;  and  when  posterity  occasionally  comes  acro.-iH  them  in  the 
rubbish  of  libraries,  tho  rare  characters  who  may  read  and  bo  pleased  with 
them,  will  be  looked  upon  a.s  singular  and  whimsical,  as  in  these  days  aro 
admirers  of  Suure/,,  Aquinas,  or  Dion.  Aroopagita."  f 

The  progress  of  his  opinions  was  still  moro  honorable  to  ITojv- 
Kins,  than  were  the  respectful  (illusions  of  his  antagonists.  Cnn  any 
one  doubt,  that  ho  has  been  h  means  of- raising  the  standard  of  theol 
ogy  among  us,  far  above  that  which  would  have  been  attained  under 
tho  influence  of  his  opponents?  Hundreds  of  New  Knghmd  clergy 
men  have  made,  substantially,  the  same  remark  which  has  been  re 
peated  by  Professor  Stuart :  "After  reading  Dr.  Hopkin.s's  System 
of  Divinity,  a  number,  of  President  Kdwards's  Treatises,  several  of 
Andrew  Tnller's,  a  part  of  Hidgley's  Hody  of  Divinity,  and  some  of 
Mosiieim's  Keclesiastieal  History,  and  a  part  of  Prideaux's  Cmmee- 
tion,  I  was  examined  and  licensed  to  preach,  by  the  neighboring 
Association  of  Ministers."  J  This  relation  of  Hopkiufrto  the  clergy 
of  New  Kngland,  gave  him  an  influence  over  them  which  is  now  too 
much  forgotten. 

The  following  letter  to  one  of  bis  best  friends  illustrates  the  hon 
est,  religious  spirit  of  our  author,  his  freedom  from  personal  aims  in 

*  A  *tn>n^-inii)ded  man,  father  of  Professor  Robinson,  the  nntlior  of  "  Ucsnarcho-i," 
elr. 

f  Siili^'n  l.itewrv  Diary.  It  is  well  known  llnit  the  rlorjfvirtpn  here  tuonliouod  l»y 
l>r.  StiliM,  (liflVn-d  in  sosno  n^prrls  from  tin;  Nowporl  ilivinc,  for  tliey  woro  iniloixMnU-nl 
tliiukcrs  ;  vel  tlii'V  w«'rt%  nil  Icrinril  HopkiliKiiills,  in  tliat  <lnv,nn<l  iMijovctl  llio  confiilciiro 
of  llopkiiis  hiintVll'.—  Il  ou-^lit  to  l-c  iintK-r^tooil,  lliiit  sov<-r;il  of  tint*  rlor^ymrn  whom 
Dr.  S'.ilos  llins  roinpiiriMl  willi  llopkiiH,  wow  Ml  tliat  ti-no  very  yonnjf  im-n. 

',.  i'li<'  rmirsi*  ln'W  >|«MMfioil  \vas  nuirkcil  out  l>v  I'ro.tiili-nl  Pwi^lit.  As  Dr.  Slilo*,  !u 
('.••  ;nrci'.!i!i 4'  rxti  ift,  mill  us  Dr.  !l<>|tkuiN,  in  Ins  tellers,  have  'ioih  mentioned  the  mime 
n!'  Dwi-lii  in  roiinertion  with  the  New  Divinity,  it  mny  l»c  proper  to  say,  that  this  ^rtiil 
111,1.1  \s.is  in  car! v-  lil'e  so  much  in  favor  of  the  1  loj'kiniian  pecnliaritii^,  that  he  wrote  un 
cs-av  In  prove  man's  obligation  to  Ne  willing  to  !>e  lost,  if  (he  f,rlory  of  God  shonlil  re- 
ipiire  the  sacrifice.  SillwiMjunilly,  luiwuvi'i1,  ho  Iniriictl  the  mnniiscript.  Dr.  llopkinn 
cHen  vvrilcM  in  a  eulogistic  style,  about  "  yonn^  Dwijjht."  AH  late  us  17!'!t,  he  say*  : 
••  I  lli'mlv  Dr.  Dwi»ht's  discourse  to  the  cili/eus  of  New  Haven,  on  the  fourth  of  July,  to 
be  a  vtiisli-rhj  prrj'oriniiiif?  ;  in  which  he  has  outdone  himself,  and  all  tho  many  publica 
tions  of  orations,  iVc.,  on  Hint  day.  I  wi«h  it  may  have  another  edition,  if  not  more."— 
It  wns  n  nolJe  trait  of  Hopkins,  that  he  was  inclined,  in  hi*  old  ngc,  to  speak  well  of 
voting  men,  nnd  had  disciplined  himself,  us  very  few  others  have  done,  to  say  with  com 
posure,  ••  He  most  increiuo,  but  I  must  decrease." 


236  MEMOIR. 

his  theological  studios,  his  full  assurance  that  Hopkinsianism  is  the 
same  in  essence  with  Edwardcanisni,  and  his  modest,  unselfish  grat- 
itudo  for  tho  triumph  of  those  principles  which  ho  was  foremost  in 
defending,  and  witli  which  his  interests  were  hound  up. 

To.  Jlcvcrcnd  Jlntlme  Fulbr.  — . "  Newport,  October  15,  17W.  Dear  Sir :  I 
thank  you  for  your  letter  of  August  lii,  which  came  to  hniul  on  tho  twelfth 
ins tii nt,  nnd  brings  much  ngrceiiblo  intelligence,  Tliut  concerning  Mr. 
I'onreo  is  grievous,  us  it represents  him  tin  near  to  (lout li;  since  tho  loss  of 
such  tin  excellent  nitin,  in  the  prime  of  life,  is  groat,  and  appears  to  us  very 
undesirable.  Vet  there  is  ground  of  consolation  in  this,  that  Christ  has  raised 
u[>  such  a  nmn,  and  continued  him  so  long,  and  done  so  much  by  him,  nnd  he 
is  now  going  to  receive  a  rich  reward.  And  the  Lord  is  able  to  niise  up 
many  more  accomplished  and  excellent  men,  and  will  do  it  when  he  shall 
want  them,  for  which  we  have  the  greatest  encouragement  as  well  as  a  divine 
command  to  pray  ;  to  which  the  removal  of  this  onr  dear  nnd  worthy  friend  is 
ti  strong  incitement.  My  heart  has  been  in  a  sensible  and  peculiar  degree 
united  to  Mr.  Tearco,  since  1  snw  his  writings  nnd  perceived  his  connection 
with  yon,  Dr.  Ryland,  &o. 

t%  Since  I  first  heard,  of  Carey  and  Thomas,  1  was  pleased  with  their  charac 
ter, —that  of  Carey  especially,  —  and  have  had  fond  hopes  that  great  things 
\\ill  he  done  by  them,  and  those  who  may  be  added  to  them.  1  rejoice  in 
the  /eal  and  liberality  of  the  people  in  promoting  that  design.  May  the 
blessing  of  thousands  who  are  ready  to  perish  come  on  von  and  them.  I  yet 
hopt' the  report,  of  tho  ship  Dull*  being  taken  by  the  l-Vench  will  prove  nor 
true,  lint  if  it  prove  true,  we  have  stable  and  sutlicicnt  ground  of  support, 
and  consolation  in  the  exalted  Head  of  the  Church,  who  orders  all  things,  nil 
rmi/x,  from  the  greatest  to  the  smallest,  in  the  most  wise  and  best,  manner, 
HO  as  to  answer  his  own  ends  exactly  ;  by  which  hi?  will  hi*  glorified  in  the 
highest  degree,  and  the  greatest  possible  good  to  the  universe  will  be  effected. 
On  this  ground  we  stand  firm  and  unshaken,  in  the  midst  of  all  tho  evils  and 
revolutions  whjph  surround  us,,  and  are  able  to  rr/V/r  uliriti/fi. 

"1  am  pleased  to  ||i"ir  tint  Kdwardeati  principle!  ure  gaining  ground  and 
spreading,  a*  I  am  certain  that  every  contrary  scheme  of  principles  [H  irrec 
oncilable  with]  the  Mihlo,  nnd  that,  all  or  most  of  the  lute  remarkable  exer 
tions  to  H"nd  missionaries  among  the  h.%athen,  and  propagate  the  gospel 
among  others  in  Mtiropo  and  America,  have  originated  ina./wor  xhormnkrr. 
from  having  imbibed  these  principles.  I  believe  all  tho  missionary  societies 
lately  formed  in  America,  owe  their  rise  to  those  formed  in  Knglnnd,  nnd  their 
extraordinary  exertions,  There  are  live  of  these  HO<  ioties  now  in  New  York, 
Connecticut,  and  Massachusetts  States,  tho  lenders  in  nil  which,  except  one, 
(if  that  is  to  be  exceptod,)  are  Kdwardeans.  The  Massachusetts  Society, 
which  has  been  formed  this  year,  consists  wholly  of  Mdwardeans,  which  is 
[likely]  to  increase  and  flourish.*  That,  in  Connecticut  consists  of  the  (Jon- 
oral  Association  of  Ministers,  chosen  anmrilly  from  each  of  the  particular 
Associations  in  the  State.  They  have  chosen  twelve  trustees,  and  these  are 
to  be  chosen  yearly,  to  manage  the  business  of  the  society  in  their  recess, 
and  are  accountable  to  them.  The  Irn-toes  consist  of  six  ministers  and  JIM 
many  laymen.  The  trustees  they  have  chosen  thin  year  are  all  Kdwardeans, 
which  is  an  evidence,  among  many  others,  that  men  of  these  principles'  pre 
vail,  and  are  esteemed. 

"  These  principles  are  gaining  ground  fast  in  Now  Khglnnd.  More  mer 
of  these  principles  nro  ordained  in  churchea  than  others,  and  they  are  the 
most,  popular  preachers.  And  some  of  those  who  have  been  prejudiced  against 
these  principled  and  opposed  *'iem,  begin  now  to  think  more  favorably  of 
them,  and  to  own  that  many  Kdwardeans  are  men  of  the  best  abilities.  And 

*  8rc  p.  Cl  of  lliis  Memoir. 


MEMOIR.  237 

well  may  they  allow  this,  when  wo  have  Dre.  West,  Edwards,  Dwight,  Trum- 
bull,  Emtnons,  Messrs.  Hart,  Strong,  Spring,  Backus,  &c.,  &c.,  &c. 

"  There  arc  four  presidents  of  collets  who  arc  Edwardeana  —  Dr.  Edward*, 
of  Union  College,  in  Bclioncetnily,  sixteen  mileu  north-west  of  Albany,  which 
in  richly  endowed;  Dr.  Dwight,  of  Yale  College,  in  New  Haven;  Mr.  Fitch, 
of  William*  College,  in  Williamstown,  Berkshire  County,  MftssachuaotU ', 
Mr.  Halch,  of  Greenville  College,  in  the  now  Stato  of  Tennessee,  went  of 
the  Carol iiuiH.  From  these  seminaries,  we  may  reasonably  horn?,  there  will 
issue  numbers  of  pious  young  men  of  good  principles,  to  supply  our  vacant 
churches;  as  many  have  already  come  forth  from  Yule,  Dartmouth,  and  Provi- 
d  -nee  Colleges,  and  are  netted  in  llie  ministry,  with  a  number  of  other  pious 
iii"ii  \v ho  have  not  had  u  public  oducatioif. 

"  llut  wlnt  appears  most  fnvorahle  now  to  the  spread  of  our  principles  und 
r.f  true  religion,  in  a  great  and  remarkable  revival  of  religion,  which  is  spread 
xvidor  and  has  risen  higher  than  any  thing  of  the  kind  has  done  in  America, 
!'ir  above  fifty  years.  It  has  taken  place?  in  the  west  and  north-west  parts  of 
Connecticut,  and  in  the  States  of  New  York,  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire, 
and  Vermont.  It  in  n.iid  to  he  in  abovo  one  hundred  towns  and  parishes. 
Tin-re  appears  to  be  little  or  no  enthusiasm.  It  goes  on  in  a  still,  but  strong 
and  energetic,  manner.  Many  thousands  have  been  the  subjects  of  deep  and 
strung  convictions,  und  great  numbers  are  hopefully  converted.  And  it  is  to 
he  remarked,  tlr.it  this  revival  has  taken  place  in  almost  :;!i,  if  not  in  every 
in,-hneo,  under  the  preaching  of  those  ministers  who  have  embraced  Kdwnrd- 
e:iu  principles.  We  hope  it.  is  yet  on  the  increase,  und  will  bear  all  bcfo.-n  it. 

"  As  to  th«'  ll'iptists,  they  h-ive  appeared  to  inerenso  of  late  yearn  in  many 
places  in  America;  but  they  have  generally  had  a  tincture  of  enthusiasm  and 
Antinomiani.-im,  and  believe  that  all  true  faith  is  tin  upprojirinting  faith,  i.e.,  it 
is  a  belief  that  Christ  died  for  me,  •$.•<•.,  or  that  thin  is  necessarily  implied  in 
Mixing  faith.  Hence,  their  converts  generally  become  HO  by  first,  believing 
lh.it  they  shall  be  saved,  or  to  that  purpose,  and  many  pass  for  converts 
among  them  of  whom  Imiich  doubt.  15ut  there  is  a  prospect  that  there  will 
be  a  favorable  revolution  of  principles  among  them,  and  it  is,  indeed,  already 
begun.  I  know  of  eight  or  ten  ministers  of  Mint  denomination  who  discard 
thi'  principles  of  Dr.  (Jill,  ifv'C.,  and  have  imbibed  those  of  Kd  wards.  Some 
of  them  have  hut  lately  risen  on  the- stage,  and  are  men  of  good  abilities  and 
hopeful  pietv.  I  am  glnd  you  are  writing  on  the  subject  you  mention.  If  I 
should  live  till  it  can  come  to  America,  I  hope'  for  the  pleasure  and  profit  of 
reading  it.  If  you  have1  not  seen  Strong,  entitled  Henevolenco  and  Misery,  I 
hJi.ill  dT-sire  Mr'.  Davis,  of  New  York,  t»)  send  it  to  Dr.  Ryland  or  you. 

"As  to  myself,  1  was  taken  x\ith  a  paralytic,  stroke  last  January,  which 
all'vted  the  limbs  of  my  right  side  and  my  speech,  so  that  I  was  unable  to 
perform  any  public,  service  for  some  months;  but  I  am  now  most  mercifully 
recovered,  NO  that  I  am  able  to  walk  und  to  preach,  and  to  write  thus  after  a 
sort  with  diliieulty  ;  hut  my  dearest- partner  will  transcribe  it  before  it  goes 
to  von.  I  was  seventy-eight  years  old  the  last  month,  and  do  not.  expect  to 
continue  much  longer  in  the  body,  nor  do  I  desire  it.  I  have  a.nleasing  hope 
ofii  house  not  made  with  hands,  eterinl  in  the  heavens;  where  I  also  hope  to 
s,-(<  you.  —  Mrs.  Hopkins  is  mv  second  xvife,  and  is  seventeen  years  younger 
tir.ni  I  ani.  She  will  transcribe  this,  with  a  heart  full  of  love  to  you  and  your 
dear  friends.  I  am  yours  in  the?  strongest  bonds,  S.  Hoi'KlNS." 

'The  preceding  letter  was  written  in  the  seventy-ninth  year  of  tlio 
author's  life.  In  the  seventy-fifth  year  lie  writes: 

"  About  forty  years  ago,  there  were  but  few,  perhaps  not,  moro  than  four  or 
five,  who  espoused  the  sentiments  which  since  nave  been  called  Kdiwrdcan, 
and  New  Divinity;  and  since,  after  some  improvement  was  i,wde  upon  them, 
llt>i>kinlonuin,  or  llopkitmian  bendmcnts.  Uut  these  sentiments  have  so  aproad 


238  MEMOIR. 

ninco  that  time  among  ministers,  especially  those-  who  havo  since  como  on  tho 
stage,  that  there  nre  now  more  than  one  hundred  in  the  Ministry  who  espouse 
tJio  name  sentiment*,  in  Uio  United  States  of  America,  And  tho  number  ap 
pear*  to  he  font  increasing,  nnd  UICHC  HontimentM  rtptxmf  to  bo  coining  moro 
nnd  more  into  credit,  and  are  better  understood,  und  the  odinin  which  wuacast 
on  them  and  those  who  prcaclied  them,  is  greatly  subsided."  * 

It  appears,  tlien,  tlmt  about  tlio  year  l?o(5,  there  were,  in  our  land, 
four  or  live  Ivhviirdeau  clergymen;  in  ITTll,  there  were  forty  <  r  filly  ;t 
nnd  in  17iM5,  there  were  more  tiitin  a  hundred,  lint  the  spirit  of  the 
.Ne\\  Divinity  was  in  the  hearts  of  thousands,  who  did  not  favor  it  in 
all  its  forms.  'The  term,  *»  Ifopkiusian,"  .soon  hei'ame  the  common 
designation  of  those  evangelical  or  orthodox  divines  who  favored  the 
doctrines  of  general  atonement,  natural  ability,  the  active  nature  of 
all  holiness  and  sin,  and  the  justice  of  (ilod  in  imputing  to  men  none 
but  their  own  jxTHonal  transgressions.  Throughout  some  parts  of 
the  land,  Hopkinsianism  became  a  synonyme  for  New  Kngland 
divinity,  and  one;  of  its  decided  antagonists  said  in  1S17,  that  "  a 
vt.-ry  large  majority  of  the  professors  of  religion  in  tin;  Tiiited  States, 
are  either  llopkinsians  or  entire  Armiuians,  aud  a>  such,  opposed  to 
the  doctrine  of  a  definite  atonement." |  Now  the  bare  fact,  that 
the  name  llopkinsian  has  been  applied  to  such  multitudes  of  en 
terprising  Christians,  is  one  among  many  Mgns  of  the  power  which 
Hopkins  has  exerted,  directly  or  indirectly,  on  men  who  disowned 
Home  of  bis  peculiar  tenets. 


SKIT.   XLV1I.    FAMILIAR  CONKKUKNTKS. 

In  bin  later  years,  our  indefatigable  pastor  reeommeneed,  with 
some  modification,  an  exercise  which  ho  instituted  at  tbet  begin 
ning  of  bis  pastoral  life  at  Newport. §  It  was  a  S>cratic  conversa 
tion,  for  which  be  seems  to  have  been  singularly  adapted.  One  of 
bis  successors  in  the  ministry  ||  savs  of  him  :  "  There*  is  no  doubt 
that  he  was  incapable  of  appearing  to  advantage  in  any  party  of 
brillinntSi  but  in  a  social  circle  of  intelligent  friends,  he  uas  cheerful, 
interesting,  incomparable.  Aud  this  excellence  of  the  Doctor  in 
creased  as  be  advanced  in  life."  lie  is  uniformly  represented  by  bis 

•   Skrtr)ip«,  pp.  ](>J.  10.1. 

t  Siv  p.  1i:'.»  of  tl.is  MiMimir.  — In  mi.  Dr.  I'.ilw.-mU.  »>f  Nrw  llavm,  iiifonnod  Dr. 
Slilt'5,  dint  tln'ro  \MTI-  llircr  purlii'H  mining  llir  clcr^v  nt'Cuiinvrli^liI  :  "  llui  Annin'mn», 
wlm  ln«  sa'ul  \M-ri'  \\  Miiall  p.nlv;  tlir  AVir  lUritnt'/  :;••////.  nn-ii,  of  ulioin  lit-  siiid  lie  \\;n 
callfil  one, —  \\lio  \\crc  larger,  ho  said,  luit  still  small-,  and  llir  nriin  liody  of  the  minis 
ter*,  wliicli  lio  sai«l  \\t-rt'  (.\i/riHi.«/ir."  —  Tlic  friends  of  tla-  .Ni-w  Divinity  called  them 
selves  not  C.iU  im-N.  so  niiifli  as  •>  r<.nsi«U<nt  ( \dvinisis." 

{  Seo  "  A  Historical  Sketch  of  Opinions  on  the  Atonotnont."  dr.,  by  James  R.  Will- 
•ion,  A.  M.,  pp.  ItiO,  ll'.l,  I1HI.  1%,  1!»7,  ID!!,  210, 'JtO. 

$  Si-e  p.  "I  of  this  Memoir. 

||  Ilev.  Dr.  Ililrhrork.  who  wns  or«lainod  ut  Newport  in  the  fourteenth  year  after  tho 
doath  of  Hopkins. 


MEMOTK  239 

Christian  admirers,  as  having  uhono  most  of  all  in  familiar  discourse 
on  the  themes  of  religious  experience.  And  the  above-named  ex 
ercise,  which  he  conducted  in  his  old  ape  with  pecul/inr  comfort  to 
himself,  and  with  nn  interest  utill  remembered  by  many  who  enjoyed 
it,  illustrates  this  representation.  It  is  thus  described  by  one  who 
often  attended  it :  • 

"Among  tho  occasional  services  of  Dr.  II.  was  a  conference  meeting  at 
!iin  own  house,  This  meeting  was  strictly  a  conference,  nnd  waH  highly  in 
teresting  anil  useful.  [It  was]  conducted  in  tho  following  nmnncr.  After 
singing  and  prayer,  one  or  two  present  collected  in  writing,  questions  from  a* 
many  as  desired  the  resolution  of  any  doubt,  or  the  discussion  of  any  subject, 
and  brought  the  papers  and  laid  them  on  tho  tablo  before  Dr.  II.  He  read 
them,  ami  then  taking  the  first,  he  requested  several  of  tho  most  judicious 
persons  to  express  their  opinion  of  it  in  succession.  If  he  agreed  with  either 
of  them,  he  would  state  it  nnd  give  his  reasons  for  it.  If  he  diilered  from  the 
whole,  ho  would  express  bis  opinion  either  by  a  quotation  from  some  writer, 
or  by  making  a  statement  with  an  illustration. 

"To  adduce  an  instance.  One  evening  there,  was  this  question,  'What  is 
the  order  of  exercises,  when  a  soul  is  converted  .to  <!od  ?'.  One  to  whom  it 
was  referred,  answered,  '  When  a  sinner  is  convinced  of  sin,  he  always  at 
tempts  to  recommend  himself  by  works  of  righteousness  5  iinding  thi:<  in- 
cllectual,  and  under  rtpprehensioiw  of  punishment,  lie.  looks  to  Christ  for 
pardon,  and  in  this  way  finds  acceptance  and  peace.  When  it  came  to  Pr. 
II.,  he  observed,  'The  sinner  must  be  convinced  of  sin,  and  as  sin  is  a  trans 
gression  of  the  law,  he  in  arraigned  before  (lod  as  lawgiver  and  judge.  It  is 
necessary  for  him  to  approve  of  the  law,  though  he  be  condemned  by  it ;  for 
it  is  impossible  that  ho  should  repent  of  having  transgressed  the  law,  while  h'» 
indulges  enmity  to  the  law,  or  to  (Sod  as  lawgiver,  and  it  is  impossible  fur 
him  to  exercise  true  faith  in  Christ,  as  lie  came  not  to  abolish  but  to  honor 
the  law.  To  hope  in  Christ  for  pardon,  and  then  approve  of  (Jod  and  of  the 
law  because  ones  sins  are  forgiven,  is  productive  of  false  peace,  and  is  a  de 
lusion.  It  is  wholly  a  selfish  art.  The  condition  of  the  sinner  when  the  law 
is  before- him  is  very  trying  and  distressing.  It  is  a  point  at  wjfiich  his  heart 
naturally  rises  in  the  greatest  enmity  against  (Jod.  Hut  when  he  is  brought 
to  approve  of  the  law,  lie  finds  that  (lod,  instead  of  executing  judgment,  ex 
ercises  mercy.  He  is  prepared  to  see  the  provision  made  for  his  salvation 
by  Jesus  Christ,  nnd  bo  embraces  Him  with  inexpressible  joy.  This/  said 
Dr.  11.,  'as  appears  from  the.  Scriptures  and  the  nature  of  the1  case,  must  be. 
the  order  of  tho  exercises,  though  many  true  converts  are  not  conscious  of  it. 
Especially  the  act  of  submission  may  be  followed  so  instantaneously  with  the 
experience  of  pardon,  that  it  may  be  overlooked  ;  but  it  lint  been  experienced, 
and  is  of  essential  inijMirtanco  in  the  case.'  "  * 

Among  the  papers  of  Dr.  Hopkins  is  found  still  another  answer, 
which  appears  to  have  been  given  to  another  question  proposed  ut 
this  conference.  It  illustrates  the  philosophical  stylo  of  his  practical 
meditations. 

"How  can  wo  pray  to  an  unchangeable  God,  who  has  already  determined 
what  he  will  do,  and  what  shall  be  in  every  instance,  nnd  will  not  alter  any 
thing  ? 

"  Answer.  Many  things  may  be  said  to  show  tho  reasonableness  and  im 
portance  of  prayer  to  an  unchangeable  God ;  and  they  will  offer  tnemselves 

*  Patten'i  Reminiscence*.  |>p.  108-111. 


240  MKM01R. 

to  any  considerate,  pious  person,  almost  at  first  thought  But  those  shall  not 
ho  mentioned  now.  Wo  will  rather  attend  to  the  cnan  of  a  person  who, 
when  on  his  knees  in  his  devotions,  linn  thin  thought  impressed  on  his  mind 
of  God's  unchangeable  purposes,  HO  ns  to  put  a  stop  to  his  proceeding  to  put 
up  nny  petition.  What  shall  ho  do  ? 

"  Answer.  Let  him  not  try  to  pray,  nor  give  over  hi.s  devotions.  Let  nil  he 
turned  into  prnisr,  giving  glory  to  (Jod,  nnd  rejoicing  that  he  does  reign,  mid 
does  what,  he  pleases  in  heaven  nnd  earth,  —  that  all  things  am  unchangeably 
fixed  by  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness,  &e.,  &c.  Thin  will  bo  the  natural 
effort  of  such  n  view  and  impression,  if  it.  be  from  Cod.  If  it  be  a  suggestion 
from  S:itan,  it  is  with  a  design  to  interrupt  and  put.  ;i  stop  to  devotion;  and  to 
improve  it.  in  the  manner  above  mentioned,  will  be  the  most  direct  and 
< 'Ifectual  way  to  oppose  and  defeat  him. 

u  The  Hume  direction  may  be  given  if  it  be  suggested  to  n  person,  that  the 
goodness  of (Jod  is  HO  infinitely  great,  and  particularly  KO  great  toward  his  chil 
dren,  that  then"  is  no  need  of  asking  him  to  do  any  thing  for  them;  yea,  it 
will  he  wicked  arrogance  to  do  it,  as  it  must  arise  from  n  doubt  of  his  good 
ness,  and  a  thought  of  ourselves  as  more  kind  to  them  than  bn  in,  so  tint  then1 
is  need  of  our  friending  with  him  on  their  behalf,  &c.  If  this  suggestion  ntop 
him  in  his  petitions  for  his  Christian  friends,  then  let  bis  devotions  be  imm"- 
di.'itely  turned  into  thanksgiving  to  (Jod,  ami  praises  for  his  goodness.  And 
this  is  the  likeliest  way  to 'prepare  his  mind  to  return  to  his  petitions  nnd 
prayers." 

Tims  did  the  aged  divine,  reali/e  the  idea,  llmt  the  church  is  a 
school  and  the  Christian  is  a  student.  He  could  not  have  been  u 
popular  minister,  unless  in  an  uncommonly  meditative  age. 


SI.CT.  XLVI1I.    HOUSEHOLD  MI'K  AT  SHUTOUT. 

And  had  the  hero  of  all  these  wars,  political  and  theological,  any 
domestic  relations?  What  time  had  he  for  his  family?  We  have 
already  noticed*  the  alllictive  state  of  his  wile's  health,  the  death  of 
all  his  daughters,  and  of  one  son,  ami  the  dispersing  of  liis  four  sur 
viving  children.  After  lingering  twenty  years  in  a  state  of  scrofulous 
consumption,  liis  wife  was  relieved  from  all  her  pains,  in  the  sixty- 
eightlt  year  of  her  age.  She  had  been  advised  to  leave  the  sea  air 
of  tthodc  Island,  for  the?  sake  of  gaining  strength  among  lier  native 
bills.  With  a  hope  of  this  gain,  her  husband  accompanied  her  to 
IU'M  former  parish,  in  May,  17M;  hut  six1  died  on  life  last  day  of  the 
ensuing.  August.  She  now  lies  buried  among  her  children  and 
children's  children,  in  tins  beautiful  village  of  (in-at  Harrington. 

As  early  at  least  as  l?(Vl,  Mr.  Hopkins  bad  met  Mifs  I'li/.abetb  West 
in  the  Praying  Circle  of  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  lie  then 
formed,  and  ever  afterward  retained,  an  exalted  opinion  of  her 
Christian  character.  She  left  Iloston,  her  native  tovVn,  for  the  coun 
try  during  the  revolutionary  war,  ami  then  became  acquainted  with 
some  of  the  families  who  bad  left  Newport  at  the  same  time.  They 
persuaded  her  to  establish,  after  the  war,  a  boarding  school  ut 

•  BM  Section  xvi. 


MEMOIR.  241 

Newport.  She  was  successful  in  this  school,  having  pupils  from 
Norwich,  New  London,  and  from  sonic  of  the  first  families  on  Rhode 
Island.  She  was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Osborn  Society.  She 
was  a  divine.  Few  masters  of  the  New  Divinity  had  a  more  intelli 
gent  conviction  of  its  truth,  than  she.  Some  of  her  letters  to  Dr. 
Hart  and  Or.  West,'  are  worthy  of  a  theological  veteran.  She  had  a 
depth  of  Christian  experience  commending  her  to  the  friendship  of 
her  pastor.  She  taught  her  school  in  his  house,  during  the  later 
months  of  her  remaining  a  teacher.  On  the  fourteenth  of  Septcm- 
her,  17D1,  she  was  married  to  him.  The  ceremony,  he  says,  "  was 
performed  in  public,  on  the  Sabbath,  by  Mr.  Patten,  in  the  morning, 
before  the  public  exercises  began.  Our  proceeding,  and  the  manner 
in  which  it  was  done,  has  had  the  approbation  of  ail  my  friends,  and 
of  the  whole  congregation,  so  far  as  I  can  learn."  At  the  lime  of 
her  marriage,  she  was  fifty-live  years  of  age,  and  he  was  sevcnty- 
three.  They  had  been  acquainted  in  prayer  meetings,  more  than 
thirty  years.  AOer  his  death,  as  during  his  life,  she  manifested  the 
deepest  interest  in  bis  theological  opinions.  Her  criticisms  on  tho 
faulty  style  in  which  the  Sketches  of  her  husband  were  prepared  by 
Dr.  West,  and  subsequently  printed,  indicate  sterling  sense  and  good 
taste.  Some  of  her  friends  advised  an  abridgment  of  her  husband's 
System  of  Divinity,  for  the  second  edition,  in  1HM.  "Hut  no,"  she 
writes;  "  an  abridged  work  often  loses  its  importance  and  sinks  into 
oblivion.  If  the  public  will  not  be  at  the  expense  of  printing  it  r/s  it 
/>•,  let  them  do  without  it  till  the  millennium  ;  then  it  will  be  read  and 
published  with  avidity.  If  I  could  gain  ever  so  much,  (as  things 
appear  now,)  I  would  not  give  my  voice  in  favor  of  abridgment." 
She  passed  a  widowhood  of  uncommon  saintlincss,  feeling  'desolate, 
yet  trusting  in  (•<><!,  and  continuing  in  supplications  and  prayers 
night  and  day.'  She  died  in  Taunton,  Massachusetts,  April  !),  1HI4, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-five  years.*  There  is  something  pleasing  in 
the  theological  style  of  her  husband,  when  he  speaks  of  himself  as 
"  peculiarly  happy  in  finding  such  a  wife,"  and  adds:  "1  esteem  it 
as  one  of  the  greatest  favors  of  my  life,  to  have  Mich  a  companion  in 
my  advanced  years,  in  whose  prudence,  good  family  economy,  friend 
ship,  and  benevolent  care  1  can  conlido  ;  and  who  is  to  me  the  first 
object  among  creatures,  of  the  love  of  esteem,  benevolence,  com- 
placencv,  and  gratitude. "t 

While  discussing  the  doctrine  of  Decrees,  in  his  System  of  Theol 
ogy,  Dr.  Hopkins  has  the  following  illustration  :  «*  My  neighbor  now 
comes  into  my  study,  ami  asks,  whether  a  table  he  has  made  for  mo 

*  She  now  lies  buried  in  Taunton,  whore,  after  nil  her  solicitiulo  about  tho  stylo  of 
her  husband's  Works,  mi  ungrammnticnl  inscription  is  yet  Kuflcred  to  dcfncc  her  grave- 
stone. —It  had  been  lirr  request  to  bo  burin!  at  (ho  sido  of  her  htubnnd,  at  Newport, 
but  the  malignant  nature  o(°  her  discnso  forbade  the  removal  of  her  remains 

f  Sketches,  etc.,  pp.  03,  81. 

U 


242  MEMOIR. 

cnn  bo  introduced  nnd  have  room  here.  I  ask  lam  what  is  the 
length  and  breadth  of  it*  He  answers,  it  is  three  yards  square.  I 
tell  him,  it  can  then  be  of  no  use  to  me,  nor  can  it  be  introduced. 
He  is  confident  [that]  I  am  mistaken.  And  after  some  dispute,  we 
at  length  conclude  to  take  a  common  measure  and /apply  it  to  the 
table,  nnd  to  my  door  and  study.  Upon  this  the  matter  is  soon  de 
cided,  and  it  is  found  that  the  former  agrees  exactly  with  the  latter; 
for  his  yardstick  was  found  to  be  but  twelve  inches  long."  * 

Our  author  was  certainly  right  in  querying  about  the  admission  of 
such  u  table  into  his  «tudy  chamber ;  for  that  room,  in  which  he 
wrote  his  System  of  Divinity  and  corresponded  with  an  African 
poetess,  and  entertained  Dr.  Bellamy,  and  Dr«  Outlining,  President 
Stiles  and  Newport  Gardner,  was  only  eleven  feet  eight  inches 
long,  nine  feet  seven  inches  wide,  seven  feet  three  inches  high  ;  and 
was  entered  by  a  door  twenty-six  inches  in  width;  a  room  rather 
circumscribed  for  a  man  who  weighed  two  hundred  and  twenty 
pounds.  That  he  must  have  sat  at  a  narrow  table,  is  self-evident. 
Wo  can  almost  pee  him  leaning  over  his  familiar  desk,  and  listening 
to  the  roar  of  the  ocean,  and  writing  such  words  as  these  : 

"  The  weak  Christian,  in  the  midst  of  strong  temptations  nnd  potent  ene 
mies,  constantly  seeking  and  exerting  all  their  power  nnd  cunning  to  devour 
nnd  destroy  him,  is  preserved  and  upheld,  through  a  course  of  trial,  by  the 
mighty,  omnipotent  hnnd  of  tho  Redeemer;  nnd  the  little  spurk  of  holiness 
implanted  in  tho  believer's  heart  is  continued  alive,  nnd  burning,  while  there 
is  wo  much,  both  within  nnd  without,  tending  to  extinguish  it;  which  is  really 
more  of  a  constant  miracle-  nnd  manifestation  of  the  powor  of  Chrint  than  it 
would  be  to  preserve'  a  little  spark  of  (ire,  for  a  course  of  years,  in  the  midst 
of  the  sea,  while  the  mighty  waves  are  fiercely  dashing  ngainst  it  nnd  upon  it, 
attempting  to  overwhelm  and  extinguish  iU"f 

There  was  certainly  a  difference  between  Hopkins  confined  six 
teen  or  eighteen  hours  a  day  within  this  limited  enclosure,  and  Bishop 
Berkeley  walking  out  from  his  Newport  residence,  with  his  writing 
utensils  borne  by  n  servant  behind  him,  nnd  at  length  sitting  down 
on  Paradise  Kock,  nnd  there,  "  with  thut  joyful  instinct  which  a 
rural  sewie  nnd  line,  weather  inspire,"  composing  his  Minute  Philoso 
pher.  Into  his  contracted  study  chamber  Hopkins  entered  at  four 
o'clock  in  the  morning, J  and  remained  until  his  family  were  pre 
pared  for  breakfast.  When  called,  ho  descended  li  narrow  and  steep 
flight  of  stairs,  and,  having  conducted  the  morning  devotions,  wit 
down  at  his  frugal  and  generally  silent  repast  of  ••  a  cup  of  coffee 
and  a  little  Indian  bread."  Breakfast  being  over,  he  went  out,  if 
there  were  need,  to  make  n  parochial  call,  or  to  purchase  some 

•  Hopkins'*  Works,  nrw  edition,  vol.  i.  pp.  79,  CO.  f  Ibid,  vol.  ii.  pp.  29,  30. 

|  Dr.  dimming  say*,  in  his  letter  of  February  11,  1010,  Dr.  Hopkins'i  "  study  was 
risible  from  my  I'alhor's  house,  ami  I  recollect  tlmt,  rising  very  fcnrly  one  winter  morn 
ing,  I  saw  the  light  of  his  candle  streaming  through  the  window,  He  took  little  exer 
cise.  His  frame  was  very  strong,  or  he  nmvl  have  sunk  under  his  labor*.'' 


MEMOIR.  243 

articles  for  his  household.  When  he  bought  any  thing,  he  paid  for 
it  on  the  spot.  He  asked  no  credit.  It  was  "  customary  with  him, 
when  ho  had  purchased  a  necessary  article,  as  flour,  or  sugar,  &c., 
to  reserve,  from  the  money  he  weekly  received,  the  amount  of  the 
expenditure  of  that  article,  that  when  the  whole  of  it  was  gone,  he 
might  have  money  on  hand  to  pay  for  a  new  supply."  * 

Having  performed  these  duties  out  of  doors,  ho  moved  his  giant 
frame  slowly  hack  to  his  narrow  chamber,  where  he  remained  until 
the  dinner  hour.  He  then  took  a  little  meat,  generally  in  silence, 
nud  climbed  up  again  his  precipitous  stairway ;  and  with  the  inter 
ruption  of  a  brief  interval  for  a  cup  of  tea,  he  remained  in  his  study 
until  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening.!  He  then  (often  at  least)  put 
hi.s  light  near  his  window,  in  order  to  apprise  a  neighboring  house 
hold  that  he  was  going  down  to  bis  family  prayer,  and  thus  to  secure 
with  that  household  a  kind  of  praying  concert.  At  ten  o'clock  he 
retired  to  bed.  This  was  the  even  tenor  of  bis  way.f 

It  is  snid,  that  in   his  small   room   be  could  not  have  had  many 

*  Patten's  Reminiscences,  p.  110.  The  congregation  of  Dr.  Hopkins  took  up  a  weekly 
contribution  fur  him,  and  paid  it  to  him  on  Monday  morning.  It  amounted  to  about  two 
hundred  dollars  per  year.  "One  gentleman  paid  numwlly  sixty  dollars,  and  a  lady 
furnished  his  family  with  a  dinner  several  times  in  a  week."  Ouo  of  his  wealthiest 
parishioners  pat  twelve  and  a  half  cents  into  the  contribution  bag  every  Sabbath.  His 
pastor  Considered  this  worse  than  nothing.  A  reason  Miy  In*  people  gave  him  no  more 
than  such  a  pittance  was,  their  faith  that  ho  would  bu  sustained  without  their  aid,  and 
that  ho  would  give  away  nil  that  ho  could  possibly  do  without.  He  hail  a  farm  at  Great 
Harrington,  the  proceeds  of  which,  however,  ho  surrendered  to  his  children.  Ho  had 
several  wealthy  friends  who  made  him  many  presents  ;  and  some,  who  had  only  a  clerical 
fortune,  were  affectionately  desirous  of  ministering  to  his  need.  An  association  of  min 
isters  in  Heading,  .Massachusetts,  at  one  of  their  meetings,  took  up  a  contribution  for 
him,  after  ho  had  met  a  pecuniary  loss.  It  was  an  unsolicited  proof  of  their  filial  aflec- 
lion  for  the  man.  Mr.  Hopkins  did  not  justify  his  people  in  contributing  so  little  for  his 
maintenance.  He  decnu-d  it  better  for  them  to  give  more.  Ho  said  that  even  if  he  did 
not  need  their  money,  "ho  would  take  it  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,'*' rather  than  not  en 
courage  among  them  n  liberal  spirit.  "  Occasionally,"  says  Dr.  Patten,  (Reminiscences, 
p.  l-Jit.)  "  when  there  was  a  prospect  of  his  wanting  some  nocessarv  stores  for  the 
winter,  especially  fuel,  he  would  make  a  statement  in  writing,  and  deliver  it  into  tho 
hand  of  some  of  the  church,  with  a  request  that  he  would  show  it  indiscriminately  to  the 
members  of  the  society  ;  but  with  a  charge  to  say  nothing  by  the  way  of  soliciting  a  do- 
nation,  but  in  silence  to  leave  each  one  to  net  according  to  his  own  inclination.  The 
ground  of  his  request  was  never  charity,  in  the  common  acceptation  of  the  word,  but  as 
sistance  to  their  pastor,  in  fulfilling  hi.s  duty  to  them  and  tho  Redeemer}  and  vucli  appli 
cations,  it  is  believed,  were  never  unsuccessful." 

t  Several  of  his  letters  close  abruptly  with  the  words,  —  "The  clock  strikes  nine,  and 
1  can  only  add  that  I  am  your  affectionate  and  unworthy  friend,  t*.  II." 

J  There  were,  of  course,  occasional  variations  of  his  daily  routine.  On  Saturday 
evening,  after  his  fast,  ho  drank  a  bowl  of  milk  before  going  lo  rest,  and  on  Sabbath 
noon  he  drank  a  bowl  of  chocolate.  It  was  certainly  safer  to  drink  such  liquids,  nt  such 
times,  than  to  employ  the  stimulants  which  his  clerical  brethren  used }  but  the  dull  elo 
cution  of  which  his  hearers  complained,  was  not  relieved,  perhaps,  by  this  soporific  diet. 
—  Wo  sometimes  catch  n  glimpse  of  him  riding  on  horseback  to  tho  "  Hnrt/ord  elec 
tion,"  and  to  tho  "  Boston  election,"  and  calling  on  Mr.  Sanford,  Mr.  Kmmons,  Mr. 
Spring,  Dr.  Hart  and  Dr.  Strong. —  During  the  protracted  absence  from  Newport  of  hi« 
first  wife,  on  account  of  her  consumptive  habits,  ho  write*  :  "  My  little  congregation  are 
a*  friendly  to  me  a*  ever,  if  not  more  §o.  They  feel  that  I  am  not  dependent  ou  them, 
or  that  I  am  not  obliged  to  stay  hero  iu  order  to  get  a  living." 


244 

books.  Tho  great  majority  of  the  volumes  which  ho  read  were 
borrowed  from  public  libraries,  or  from  ministerial  friends.*  It  is 
ascertained,  however,  that  in  his  library  at  Newport,  wcro  about 
fifty  folios,  about  sixty  qunrtos,  a  hundred  octavos,  and  some  duo 
decimos.  They  were  books  of  sterling  value.  Jt  was  bettor  to  have 
this  select  library,  and  to  rend  it  much,  than  to  have  a  more  imposing 
array  of  volumes,  and  read  them  not  ut  all. 

Every  fortnight  the  barber  visited  the  old  patriarch  and  shaved  his 
head.  Over  his  head  the  aged  father  wore  a  white  linen  cap,  and, 
covering  this,  a  higher  rap  of  red  velvet.  A  gown  of  blue  worsted, 
lined  with  green,  or  of  green  plaid  or  bai/e,  was  his  favorite  dis- 
kahllli-y  always  worn  by  him  in  the  study  and  sometimes  out  of  doors.t 
Ordinarily,  however,  when  lie  appeared  in  the  street,  he  was  elad  in 
the  straight-bodied  coat  so  common  among  gentlemen  of  the  old 
school ;  and  his  head  was  covered  with  a  powdered  wig  and  three- 
cornered  hat.  He  wore  the  clerical  neck-band  when  he  preached. 
Tho  first  portrait  of  him  was  taken  with  In.-  pulpit  attire,  and  usually 
hung  in  the  west  parlor  of  the  parsonage.  An  engraving  of  it  was 
prefixed  to  one  of  Dr.  Hopkins'*  volumes,  during  his  life.  The  second 
portrait  was  taken  at  the  expense  of  a  few  eiti/.cns  of  Hartford, 
when  he  was  in  his  eightieth  year,  and  presents  him  in  his  study 
dress.  This  last-named  portrait  was  copied  in  the  engraving  prefixed 
to  his  Autobiography,  and  has  been  more  accurately  copied  for  the 
complete  edition  of  his  Works.  While  this  interesting  old  portrait 
was  in  a  public  gallery  at  Hartford,  it  was  examined  by  a  gentle 
man,  who  disliked  the  subject  of  it  so  intensely,  that  he  thru.>t  his 
cane  through  the  canvas,  near  the  head  of  the  figure,  and  made  a 
rupture  which  yet  remains.  He  gave  as  a  reason  for  thus  defacing 
the  picture,  that  Dr.  Hopkins  believed  in  the  duUimttion  of  infants. 
Some  of  Hopkins'*  clerical  opponents  have  been  equally  injudicious 
in  their  assaults. 

To  his  dying  day,  Hopkins  retained  his  love  of  neatness  and  order. 
No  member  of  his  household  was  allowed  to  movt  a  book  or  pupCi 
in  his  study.  He  had  a  place;  for  every  article  of  his  clothing,  and 
ho  must  needs  ho  sure  that  every  thing  was  in  its  place.  The  same 
peculiarity  belonged  to  West  and  Kmnions,  and  was  often  sportively 
tin  id  to  be  one  of  the  outward  signs  of  a  Hopkinciun. 

To  his  dying  day,  also,  Hopkins  retained  his  lovli  of  study.  Long 
after  his  first  shuck  of  paralysis,  he  was  wont  to  climb  up  his  nar 
row  staircase  to  the  favorite  south-west  corner  ol  his  parsonage,  and 


•  Tho  chnrjje  of  owning  iVw  I  >oks  \*  often  hnm^ht  nguirit  Uio  New  Kn^lnnd  divined. 
It  i«  not  considered,  thai  they  ha. I  what  amounts  to  u  cirri  lalinjr  liNrarv,  among1  thcm- 
iclvcs,  ami  that  racli  read  the  volumes  Mousing  In  hi*  l>rctiirc>t. 

f  "  I  ran  well  recollect,"  auyn  Dr.  ('lutniiing,  (Work-*,  vol.  iv.  p.  Ml,)  "  iho  imprr.i- 
lion  which  he  niivde  on  mo,  \vheu  ,\  |>  ,v,  n*  lie  rode  on  horselmcl;  in  n  plaid  gown  fa»- 
tcnod  !>)'  a  girdle  round  hi*  vui»t,und  with  a  study  cap  ot»  his  bci«d  instead  of  his  wig." 


MEMOIR.  245 

there  lose  himself  in  divine  contemplations.  '•  I  recollect,"  says  Dr. 
Chonning,  *«  that  on  visiting  him  one  day  when  he  was  about  eighty 
years  of  age,  I  found  his  eyes  much  inflamed  by  reading  and  writing. 
I  took  the  liberty  to  recommend  abstinence  from  these  occupations. 
Tie  replied,  smilingly,  with  an  amusing  story,  and  then  added,  •  If 
my  eyes  won't  study,  no  eyes  for  me.' "  * 

This  remark  is  quoted  by  Clmnning  as  an  instance  of  the  face- 
tiousncss  in  which  Hopkins  occasionally  indulged.  It  is  said  by  some, 
that  he  hud  more  pleasantry  as  well  as  more  inquisitivcncss,  in  his 
later  than  in  his  earlier  yjeurs,  and  that  his  house  became  more  and 
more  attractive  to  his  friends. 


SECT.  XLIX.    SHOCK  OF  PA11ALYSIS ;    REFLECTIONS;    SELF-EXAMI 
NATION. 

In  his  seventy-eighth  year,  having  performed  labor  enough  for 
breaking  down  a  constitution  of  iron,  this  old  divine  was  struck  with 
a  paralysis.  Instead  of  describing  his  case  pathologically,  he  turns 
the  attention,  at  once,  from  the  body  to  the  soul. 

"  December  1(>,  1790.  Oa  tlio  tenth  of  lust  January,  I  was  suddenly 
seized  with  a  paralytic  stroke,  winch  afiected  my  right  sid<\  and  rendered  my 
limbs  of  Unit  sido  in  a  great  measure  useless,  and  much  afiected  my  speech ; 
but  WOH  attended  with  little  or  no  pain,  and  Uio  exercise  of  my  reason  and 
mental  faculties  was  nut  in  the  least  a  flee  tod.  This  appeared  to  threaten  my 
speedy  dissolution,  in  my  view,  and  in  the  view  of  my  friends,  cither  by  a 
greater  and  more  deadly  stroke,  or  some  other  way.  To  bo  sure,  I  seasona 
bly  considered  it  as  a  warning  to  bo  ready  for  death.  I  felt  that  (Jod  had  laid 
his  hand  lightly  upon  me,  and  that  Uio  aliliclion  was  attended  with'  much  ten 
der  mercy  ;  and  [I]  was  resigned  and  thankful.  For  a  short  time,  at  first,  my 
mind  WUH  dark,  and  I  seemed  to  myself  to  be  in  a  measure  shut  out  from  the 
sensible  presence  of  God  and  the  Saviour ;  but  .soon  1  wns  led  to  a  view  and 
sense  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  exalted  to  the  throne  of  tho  universe,  having  all 
power  in  heaven  and  earth,  clothed  with  infinite  power,  wisdom,  rectitude, 
and  goodness,  governing  the  world  and  ordering  every  event,  the  least  and 
greatest,  as  it  shall  be  most  for  his  glory,  and  the  greatest  general  good ; 
having  mercy  on  whom  he  will  havo  mercy,  and  hnrlening  whom  he  will ; 
and  showing  mercy  to  every  ono  to  whom  he  can  do  it  consistently  with  wis 
dom  and  goodness,  —  i.  c.,  consistently  w.iUi  the  greatest  display  of  his  char 
acter  and  perfections,  nnd  the  highest  happiness  *of  the  creation ;  and  that  all 
this,  and  every  thing,  and  event,  and  circumstance  were  determined  and  fixed 
from  eternity,  by  eternal,  unerring  wisdom,  righteousness,  and  goodness.  In 
Uiis  view,  Uio  Saviour  appeared  infinitely  great  and  important,  and  divinely 
worthy  and  amiable.  I  felt  myself  and  all  creatures  and  things  to  be  in 
his  hands,  and  wiw  pleased  and  rejoiced  in  this,  knowing  that  every  thing 
was  ordered  and  conducted  in  the  wisest  and  best  possible  manner,  so  as  to 
answer  tho  best  and  most  desirable  ends  ;  that  tho  Saviour  would  injure  none, 
fulfil  all  his  promises  to  a  tittle,  and  accomplish  all  his  designs  in  the  best 
time  and  tho  most  desirable  and  perfect  manner ;  so  that  all  is  well,  in  the  best 

*  Work*,  \  nl.  iv.  pp.  5lfl,  ;U!>.  —  It  ii  proltnblo  that  nftcr  his  paralysis,  the  aged  divine 
may  not  hnvo  risen  »o  uniformly  at  four  o'clock,  a»  ho  bad  done.  Ho  w»i  tonacioui, 
however,  of  hit  old  habits.' 

tt' 


246  MEMOIR. 

and  most  desirable  situation  that  possibly  can  bo.  In  a  belief  and  sense  of 
this,  and  more,  which  cannot  bo  expressed,  my  sottl  was  full  of  comfort  and 
joy,  saying,  *  Tlio  Lord  Jesus  Christ  reigns,  let  the  earth  rejoice.  Our  God 
IB  in  the  heavens.  Ho  hath  done,  doth,  and  will  do  whatsoever  ho  pleaseth.' 

"In  theso  pleasing  and  comfortable  views  and  exercises,  I  had  no  particu 
lar  attention  to,  or  thought  of,  myself,  whether  I  were  a  Christian  and  should 
ho  saved  or  not.  Hut  my  comfort  and  joy  wcro  derived  from,  or  rather  con 
sisted  in,  a  view  and  sense  of  the  excellent,  glorious  character  of  Christ,  in 
whose  hands  I  and  nil  things  were,  and  win.  would  order  and  dispose  of 
tilings  concerning  me  and  all  men  and  creatures,  HO  an  in  the  highest  degree 
to  promote  his  glory,  or  the  glory  of  (Jod,  winch  is  tho  same  ;  and  effect  the 
greatest  general  good  or  happiness,  or  tho  wisest  and  best  etuis.  In  this 
view,  my  heart  said,  with  strong  emotions  and  the  most  pleasing  sensations, 
'  Amen  !  Thy  will  be  done ! '  —  without  knowing  or  considering  what  his  will 
was  concerning  me.  Had  I  reflected  judiciously  oil  my  own  exercises,  I 
might  have  rationally  judged  them  to  be  agreeable  to  the  truth,  and  an  evi 
dence  that  I  was  a  friend  to  Christ ;  but  I  did  not  so  Ire  fleet  as  to  make  this 
conclusion.  This  view  and  sei;se  of  things  still  abides  with  nie,  but  at  differ 
ent  times  in  a  higher  and  lower  degree,  but  not  so  that  I  can  infer  from  it, 
without  hesitation,  that  I  am  a  real  Christian,  and  shall  be  saved.  My  views 
and  exercises  appear  to  me  so  much  below  the  truth  and  so  inconstant,  that, 
sometimes,  I  doubt  of  their  reality,  or  of  their  being  reul  Christian  exercises  ; 
and  I  have  such  a  deceitful  heart,  that  I  fear  delusion,  though  at  times  all 
doubts  subside.  My  person  and  whole  interest  in  time  and  to  eternity  is, 
compared  with  the  grand  whole,  —  the  glory  of  (Jod  and  the  best  interest  of 
his  kingdom,  —  so  small  and  inconsiderable,  that  when  I  have  the  latter  in  a 
sensible  view,  the  former  sinks  into  a  mere  speck  or  nothing,  and  is  almost 
wholly  overlooked  and  forgotten,  and  the  language  of  my  heart  is,  'Let  (Jod 
bo  glorified  by  all,  and  the  bent  intercut  of  his  kingdom  be  secured  and  pro 
moted,  let  what  will  become  of  me  and  my  interest! '  And  while  I  see  tho 
former  grand  interest  is  seour*-,  and  will  ho  in  tho  best  manner  promoted,  I 
urn  satisfied  and  rejoice.  And  this  so  engrosses  my  thoughts  and  reflections, 
that  I  do  not  attend  to  tho  interest  of  any  individual  person,  my  own  or  [that 
of]  any  one  else,. HO  as  to  exeite  any  sensible  joy  or  sorrow,  hope  or  fear;  tho 
interest,  of  such  individual  being  overlooked  us  not  w<«rthy  of  any  regard,  in 
comparison  with  the  grand  interest  of  tho  whole  ;  —  this  NO  impresses  the  mind 
and  fills  it,  as  to  exclude  the  other. 

"  But  as  my  mind  cannot  have  a  view  of  nil  objects  with  equal  clearness 
and  attention,  at  one  and  the  same  time,  but  different  objects  are  more  attend 
ed  to,  and  make  a  greater  impression  at  Homo  times  thiui  at  others,  so  when  I 
attend  more  particularly  to  my  own  state  and  interest,  I  naturally  reflect  upon 
the  views  ami  affections  and  enjoyment*)  I  have  experienced  in  attending  to  the 
person,  character,  and  works  of  Christ,  and  the  greatnnss,  glory,  and  happi 
ness  of  his  kingdom;  and  the  inference  seems  to  be  pbin,  thutl  am  a  friend 
to  these  objects ;  but  I  am  not  able  always,  if  at  any  time,  to  see  tho  truth  of 
tliis  consequence  with  clearness  and  certainty.  When  tho  clearness  and 
sensibility  of  these  views  and  exercises  in  a  measure  subside,  and  I  attend 
more  to  my  own  character,  and  my  d<  .  ravity,  stupidity,  unbelief,  and  the  evil 
and  deceitfulncss  of  my  heart  rise  into  view,  I  am  dispoyod  to  call  in  question 
my  own  good  estate,  and  to  suspect  thnt  my  exercises  fall  short  of  real  Chris 
tianity  ;  yet,  maintaining  a  hope  that  this  is  not  tho  rase,  which  is  sometimes 
weaker  and  sometimes  Kfonger,  and  frequently  for  a  short  space  rises  so  high 
as  to  exclude  doubting;  but  even  then,  though  this  excites  gratitude,  it  does 
•jot  raise  my  comfort  ami  joy  to  that  degree,  as  does  tho  direct  view  of  the 
.haracter  of  Christ  and  his  kingdom  above  mentioned,  without  any  particular 
attention  to  my  own  character  and  personal  interest.  When  my  doubt*  and 
fears  prevail  most,  respecting  my  personal  union  to  Christ,  and  I  attend  pur- 
ticulrxrly  to  my  personal  concerns  and  interest,  it  appears,  when  considered  by 
iUelf,  to  bo  beyond  all  conception,  and  infinitely  groat,  wliich  I  fool  to  bo 


.  MEMOIR*  247 

wholly  in  tho  hands  of  Christ,  to  be  determined  by  him  whether  I  shall  be 
happy  or  miserable  forever.  And  this  is  so  far  from  being  disagreeable  to 
me,  that  I  am  highly  pleased  with  it,  and  would  not  havo  it  otherwise  on  any 
consideration  whatever.  I  feel  that  I  am  in  tho  best  hands,  and,  in  this 
respect,  in  the  best  situation  that  I  possibly  could  be  in.  Ho  certainly  will 
not  injure  mo  in  any  respect,  or  in  tho  least  degree.  lie  is  infinitely  wine, 
good,  and  merciful,  and  knows  what  is  most  for  his  own  glory,  and  the  highest 
good  and  happiness  of  his  kingdom;  and  can  and  will  certainly  save  me  and 
every  one  else  with  whom  I  have  any  connection,  if  it  may  be  consistent  with 
hU  glory  and  tho  greatest  happiness  of  his  kingdom,  or  consistent  with  wis 
dom  and  goodness,  which  is  the  same;  and  I  cannot  so  much  as  wish  or  have 
tho  least  desire  to  be  saved  on  any  oil  for  supposition,  —  t.  «.,  if  this  bo  incon- 
nistcnt  with  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness,  and  contrary  to  the  greatest  good 
nnd  glory  of  Christ  and  his  kingdom  ;  and  [I]  feel  that  it  would  be  awful  impi 
ety  and  rebellion  to  ask  for  salvation  on  any  other  supposition. 

44  But  when  I  reflect  on  tho  dread  fulness  of  being  cast  away  forever  by 
Christ,  to  sutler  the  just  desert  of  my  sins,  feeling  the  strokes  and  tokens  of 
his  righteous  anger  and  vengeance;  and  being  given  up  to  evil  lusts,  to  join 
with  tho  devil  and  exist  eternally  on  his  side,  an  enemy  to  Clirist  and  his 
kingdom,  my  soul  recoils,  and  feels  this  to  bo  intolerable !  Then  I  lly  to 
Christ  and  his  atonement,  and  cast  myself  down  at  his  feet,  to  dispose  ot  mo 
as  he  pleases;  yot  hoping  and  crying  for  mercy, —  () !  be  mcrcilul  to  me,  a 
sinner;  —  which  is  accompanied  with  a  number  of  various  exorcises  which 
cannot  bo  easily  described. 

when  I  reflect  on  these  cxerc-jes,  they  appear  to  me  to  bo  consistent 
with  Christianity,  and  an  evidence  ofjreal  friendship  to  Christ;  and  I  am 
sensible  that  if  another  person  should  ij-lato  to  mo  such  views  and  exorcises 
as  experienced  by  him,  I  should  think  them  an  evidence  that  he  was  a  real 
Christian,  Yet  I  often  greatly  doubt  of  my  being  a  true  Christian ;  especially 
when  I  havo  HOIUO  nioro  clear  view  and  sense  of  my  barren  and  sinful  life, 
and  attend  particularly  to  thut. 

"  Thoso  arc  soino  of  my  daily,  various  exercises,  in  all  which  I  always 
maintain  a  hope  that  I  am  a  Christian,  which  sometimes  excludes  all  doubt; 
b"ing  constantly  assured  of  the  truth  of  the  gospel,  —  that  this  is  a  revelation 
of  tho  only  truo  (Jod,  and  of  eternal  life  ;  and  that  tho  truths  which  I  have 
preached  us  contained  in  tho  gospel,  arc  indeed  tho  truths  of  (Jod,  and  suf- 
(U'iiMit  t<>  support  and  comfort  a  Christian  in  tho  near  view  of  death  and  eter 
nity,  and  under  all  thn  alllictions  of  this  life.  And  I  live  in  the  constant 
assurance  of  tho  truth  of  tho  doctrine  of  the  decrees  of  God,  and  of  his  uni 
versal  and  particular  providence  directing  every  event  and  every  tiling  which 
comes  to  pass,  and  exercising  absolute  sovereignty  in  his  dealing  with  men  ; 
without  which  I  could  havo  no  support  and  comfort,  And  my  chief  comfort 
and  joy  does  not  consist  in  or  arise  from  an  assurance  or  hopo  that  I  shall  bo 
saved ;  but  in  a  view  and  sense  of  tho  perfections  and  glory  of  Christ,  his 
power,  wisdom,  and  goodness,  reigning  and  ordering  all  things  lor  tho  glory 
of  God  and  the  greatest  good  of  his  kingdom.  And  this  is  accompanied  with 
u n  oxpori:ii"nt!il  assurance,  that  thn  exercises  of  truo  religion  are  wholly  dis- 
iutv'rostod  and  in  di.ect  opposition  to  all  selfishness, — a  doctrine  which  I 
hivo  endeavored  to  maintain  and  inculcate  for  many  years. 

"  When  I  was  first  taken  with  this  disorder,  and  for  most  of  tho  time  since, 
I  h  ivo  had  little  or  no  sensible  desire  of  recovering,  and  was  not  inclined  so 
much  as  to  ink  for  it;  my  mind  rather  reluctated  at  tho  thought  of  recovering 
HO  as  to  preach  after  tho  poor,  dull  way  in  which  I  had  hitherto  preached, 
and  with  an  little  success.  But  God  has  been  pleased  to  recover  me,  HO  that 
I  havo  been  ahlo  to  attend  public  worship  and  preach  for  several  months  past ; 
nnd  I  do  not  feel  that  preaching  hurts  me,  or  aggravates  my  disorder,  which 
encourages  mo  to  proceed,  but  with  many  and  groat  discouragements  from 
my  own  great  deficiencies,  and  the  want  of  a  proper  attention  apparent  in  tho 
congregation  in  general.  But  Clirist  will  answer  his  own  cnus  by  mo,  and 


248  MEtfOIR. 

continue  me  in  the  world,  and  Uko  mo  out  of  it  in  tho  br«t  time  and  manner, 
HO  M  boat  to  aiwwcr  these  end* ;  and  in  this  I  daily  acqutauce  and  rejoice. 
Amen."  * 

Oa  the  tenth  of  January,  1800,  thin  lowly  disciple  miulo  the  follow 
ing  record,  firnt,  of  the  *ignn  that  ho  MVM  «*  a  rent  Christian,"  and, 
peeondly,  of  the  indications  thnt  ho  was  not  "  n.  real  friend  to 
Christ."  The  favorable  mgna  are  thus  humbly  and  honestly  given : 

"  t,  T  Imvn  been  «o  fur  convinced  of  my  "inn  nnd  reproved  for  them,  tlmt  I 
know  t!i!\t  I  iitn  infinitely  guilty,  and  deserve  eternal  destruction  nnd  mincry; 
thnt  Ood  would  bo  just*  nnd  I  should  Imvo  no  reason  to  complain,  if  he  should 
punish  mo  forever,  with  aggravated  tormentH.  Thin  conviction  in  abiding  and 
increasing,  while  I  heartily  approve  of  the  Inw  of  God  which  cursea  the  trans 
gressor, —  n«  holy,  just,  nnd  good.  This  conviction  nnd  sense-  t>f  tho  evil  of  sin, 
nnd  of  my  depravity  nnd  sinl'iilness,  rises  much  higher  noiiietiliiCH  than  others; 
but  T  nm  never  disposed  to  cost  it  oil"  or  doubt  the  truth  of  it,  but  it  is  fixed 
on  my  mind;  nnd  when  I  huve  the  greatest  sense  of  it,  1  know  that  I  nee  but 
littlo  of  what  it.  really  is  in  tho  siglit  of  (Jod, —  that  tho  number  of  my  siiw 
and  the  magnitude  nnd  aggravations  of  ench  one  uro  infinitely  beyond  my 
comprehension,  nnd  are  known  perfectly  to  (Jod  alone, —  thnt  I  am  wholly 
nnd  beyond  expression  depraved  and  sinful,  naturally,  being  infinitely  far  from 
any  moral  goodness  to  recommend  mo  to  the  mercy  and  favor  of  (Jod,  —  nnd 
th:it  if  my  heart  ho  changed  HO  ns  to  exercise  holiness  in  any  degree,  yet  this 
is  so  defective,  and  attended  with  so  much  moral  defilement  and  sin,  that  nil 
tnken  together  it  is  worse  than  nothing,  nnd  nflords  matter  of  condemnation, 
nnd  is  infinitely  far  from  deserving  any  good  or  favor.  And  if  I  were  wholly 
recovered  from  my  depravity,  and  were  made  perfectly  holy,  this  would  be  eo 
infinitely  overbalanced  by  the  guilt  of  my  N'IUS,  that  it  could  not  be  reckoned 
in  my  favor,  KO  as  to  procure  the  pardon  of  my  HUH,  or  render  me  de.Merving 
of  nny  good  thing.  I  have  a  constant  nnd  growing  conviction,  th.it  I  am 
wholly  dependent  on  the  preventing,  sovereign  grace  of  (Jod,  for  my  recovery 
from  this  miserable,  lost  stale  of  infinite  guilt  ami  total  depravity,  and  for  tho 
least  degreo  of  sincerity  nnd  faith  or  conformity  to  the  law  of  (Jod;  that  I 
am  wholly  but-,  and  shall  sink  down  to  hell,  an  enemy  to  (Sod  and  all  good, 
nnd  justly  perish  forever,  unless  Christ,  by  his  sovereign  goodness,  clothed 
with  omnipotence  aii'.i  infinite  wisdom,  nhall  recover  and  save  me,  while  I  shall 
not  do  nny  thing  towards  my  salvation,  or  make  the-  least  exertion  for  it;  but 
all  that  I  will  and  do  is  contrary  to  it,  unless  nnd  no  farther  than  he  shall  work 
in  me  to  will  and  to  do,  of  his  sovereign  good  pleasure,  what  ho  requires  as 
necessary  to  my  salvation.  Thus  I  feel  myself  to  be  an  infinitely  guilty, 
odious  creature,  utterly  undone  in  myself,  and  have  not  a  word  to  say,  and 
have  not  a  thought  in 'my  favor;  my  month  is  stopped  in  this  respect,  and  I 
am  guilty  before  (Jod,  and  accept  the  punishment  of  my  inimiily. 

"  If  tins,  which  I  have  imperfectly  described,  implies  thor.«sentialn  of  real 
repentance,  in  which  I  humble  myself  in  the  sijjht  of  the  Lord,  with  n  broken 
and  contrite  heart,  then.  I  have  a  new  heart  and  am  interested  in  the  divine 
promises.  Hut  if  not,  —  then  1  have  never  yet  understood  the  true  meaning 
of  these  words  of  Scripture,  and  my  eyes  are  yet  blinded  with  regard  to  my 
own  character! 

ul^.  I  think  I  do  most  heartily  approve  of,  nnd  acquiesce  in,  the  person  nnd 
character  of  Christ,  and  am  pleased  with  the  way  of  nalvatioU  of  sinners  by 
him.  All  his  directions,  exhortations,  commands,  doctrines  which  he  taught, 
nil  that  ho  Hnid,  did,  nnd  suffered,  nnd  nil  his  revealed  purposes  nnd  designs 
nppear  wise,  good,  and  excellent,  nnd  carry  cleur  nmrk.t  and  abundant  ovi- 
dcnco  of  divinity  in  them.  IK-nco 

•  Skclchci,  etc.,  pp.  103-113. 


MEMOIR.  249 

44  3.  I  do,  I  think,  place  all  my  hope  in  him,  and  dosiro  not  to  bo  found  and 
accepted  in  any  righteousness  of  my  own,  wero  this  possible }  but  to  bo  par 
doned  and  justified  by  the  merit  ana  righteousness  or  Christ.  I  am  sensibly 
itnd  greatly  pleased  with  being  wholly  dependent  on  him  for  righteousness, 
sanctification,  and  complete  redemption,  if  thcro  wore  any  other  possible  way 
of  salvation,  which  I  know  there  is  not,  I  would  reject  it,  not  desiring  to  bo 
saved  in  any  way  but  that  which  is  revealed  in  tho  gospel. 

"  4.  I  think  I  desiro  and  seek  tho  glory  of  God  and  tho  greatest  good  and 
InppincBH  of  tho  universe,  as  my  highest  and  ultimate  end;  and  in  this  view 
nm  pleased  with  and  rejoico  in  tho  character  and  designs  of  God  and  Christ, 
who  is  doing  every  thing  for  this  end,  and  will  accomplish  it  in  tho  most  pcr- 
lect  manner,  and  in  tho  highest  possible  degree.  And  on  this  account  I  am 
highly  pleased  with  Christ  and  the  gospel,  as  by  tho  redemption  of  man  by 
Chdst,  God  is  glorified  in  an  eminent  degree,  and  tho  greatest  happiness  of 
creatures  promoted  and  effected.  And  for  this  reason  I  acquiesce  in  it,  that 
nil  of  tho  human  raco  should  not  be  saved,  but  a  part  of  them  perish  forever 
in  their  sins,  as  divine  revelation  lias  declared;  because  I  know  this  is  neces 
sary  for  tho  glory  of  God,  and  tho  greatest  good  of  his  eternal  kingdom,  and 
not  one  will  be  lost  forever,  who. could  be  saved  consistently  with  this;  and 
therefore-  all  will  bo  saved  who  can  be  saved  consistently  with  infinite  wisdom 
and  goodness.  Therefore, — 

"5.  I  am  most  satisfied  and  pleased,  when  I  havo  tho  most  clear  and  feel 
ing  sense  of  my  being  in  the  hands  of  Christ,  in  the  most  perfect  and  absolute 
s»-nso  n nd  degree,  and  wholly  at  his  disposal  in  time  and  to  eternity  ;  knowing 
tint  he  will  do  with  and  by  mo  what  is  most  for  his  glory  and  tho  good  of  his 
kingdom  ;  and  that  ho  will-save  me,  if  lie  can  do  it  consistently  with  this ;  and 
this  is  all  that  I  can  desire.  Therefore  I  am  well  pleased  with  being  in  his 
hands  and  wholly  at  his  disposal,  let  him  do  what  lie  will  with  me,  and  cannot 
conceive  of  a  better  and  moro  desirablo  situation:  yea,  I  know  there  cannot 
bo  a  better. 

"When  I  reflect  on  tho  fueling*  and  exercises  expressed  in  tho  last  two 
particulars,  they  seem  to  mo  to  bo  tho  expression  of  truo  disinterested  benev 
olence,  or  that  luvf  by  which  wo  are  formed  after  the  likeness  of  (Jod,  and 
he  dwelleth  in  us,  and  we  in  him.  The  reason  of  my  doubting  of  this,  espe 
cially  at  times,  has  been  in  some  measure  suggested  before,  and  will  be  moro 
fully  expressed  in  tho  sequel. 

'•(>.  1  think  I  do  hunger  and.  thirst  after  righteousness.  My  longing  to  bo 
perfectly  holy  is,  Bometimes,  very  sensible  and  strong,  exceeding  all  desires 
of  earthly  things  that  I  have,  or  of  which  I  am  capable.  I  havo  often  felt 
willing  and  a  desire  to  die  immediately,  if  this  might  bring  mo  to  perfect  holi- 
n. NS,  to  a  complete  conformity  to  Christ. 

"7.  I  feel  my  heart  strongly  united  to  those  whom  I  consider  to  bo  real 
friends  to  Christ,  in  benevolent  and  complacential  love  ;  especially  those  with 
whom  I  n m  more  particularly  nnd  intimately  acquainted.  I  have  a  quite  dif 
ferent  feeling  toward  them  from  that  which  I  hfiVO  toward  others,  nnd  have  a 
:>;'culiar  delight  in  their  company  nnd  conversation. 

"  H.  My  preaching  and  conversation  has  been  generally  acceptable  and 
pleasing  to  those  whom  I  have  esteemed  the  most  judicious  and  best  Chris- 
liaiM,  so  far  as  I  have  been  able  to  learn.  I  havo  not  only  preached  tho  doc 
trines  which  I  verily  believed  to  be  true,  but  heartily  approved  of  them,  and 
have  delivered  those  truths  of  tho  word  of  God  respecting  practical  and  ex 
perimental  religion,  which  wore  tho  dictates  of  my  heart,  and  often,  if  not 
commonly,  suggested  by  my  own  feelings  and  exercises;  and  havo  not  en 
deavored  to  appear  better  or  in  a  more  agreeable  light,  than  was  agreeable  to 
(lie  truth,  though  I  am  sensible  that  my  Christian  friends  have  in  manv  in 
stances  and  respects,  thought  too  highly  of  me,  which  has  been  matter  of  shamo 
and  humiliation  to  me;  yet  their  love  and  esteem,  I  havo  been  ready  to  con 
sider  as  mi  evidence  in  my  favor,  though  of  little  weight ponsideiod  by  itself, 
as  wo  know  not  each  other's  hearts,  and  aro  liable  to  bo  greatly  deceived  in 


250.  MEMOIR. 

othort.  I  therefore  mention  thin  M  coinciding  with,  and  in  vomo  measure 
strengthening  tho  evidences  which  have  been  mentioned*  This  is,  at  leant, 
an  evidence  that  what  appears  in  my  preaching,  convention,  and  external 
conduct,  which,  HO  far  as  1  know,  in  in  general  agreeable  to  my  heart,  (at  leant 
I  do  not  on  design  attoMint  to  play  tho  hypocrite,)  is  to  judicious  Christians, 
\vlio  nro  most  acquainted  witli  MIC,  an  evidence  that  I  am  a  real  Christian." 

How.  beautiful  is  tho  honesty  of  this  aged  scholar!  How  un 
common  i.s  tho  lowliness  \vitli  which  he  proceeds  to  \vrito  dark  things 
against  himself! 

,<ll  proceed  to  mention  Homo  things  which  apjxmr  to  me,  at  times  at  leant, 
reason  of  four  that  I  never  have  known  what  it  in  to  he  a  real  Christian,  und 
are  at  Union,  if  not  generally,  tho  causo  of  away  doubt*. 

u  1.  My  ntupidily  aad  hnnlaoHH  of  hoiirt  with  n'spoet  to  thiagH  diviao  anil 
invisible,  or  tho  truths  exhibited  in  the  gospel,  At  taaes,  aad  1  believe  I  may 
Hiiy  generally,  I  havo  vory  litt'r.i  or  no  sense  of  those  things,  aad  they  muko 
very  littlo  iaipronsion  on  my  heart,  if  any;  aad  1  often  ioel  an  if  they  hud  no 
existence,  while-  in  my  reason  aad  judgment  J  hnvu  no  doubt  of  their  truth 
aad  reality.  Aad  whoa  1  have  some  sense  of  tho  truth,  reality,  aad  excel 
lency  of  thorn,  aad  even  whoa  I  have  tho  grontoHt  wane  aad  tho  most  alloct- 
iag  view  and  impression  of  them  on  my  heart,  and  I  am  most  strongly  aad 
deeply  atlocted  with  them,  I  am  sensible  t.lmt  Uio  viow  aad  sense  1  have  is 
vory  imperfect  aad  unspeakably  short  of  tho  tnith,  aad  of  what  1  ought  to  hnve, 
aad  ovoa  tho  greatest  impression,  und  highest  atlbction  that  I  at  aay  tiaio  ex 
perience,  commonly  sooa  abate  aad  subside,  aad  I  am  loll  ua  stupid  and  sense 
less  a^  ever;  aad  what  I  thought  I  had  experienced  seems  like  a  dream,  aad 
na  if  it  was  not  a  reality.  This  stupidity  aad  Bcnueleiwnetw  is  commonly  most 
sensible  and  burdoasome  in  a>"  public  performances of  prnyor  aad  preaching; 
nad  even  when  I  havo  freedom  of  speech  und  a  How  of  words,  aad  my  Chris 
tina  friends  havo  thought  I  wiw  greatly  unlisted,  I  have  boea  conscious  of  my 
grout  and  shameful  atupidity,  and  waat  of  a  proper  sense  of  the  things  of 
which  I  havo  boon  speaking.  This,  which  is  more  or  less  sensibly  lelt,  is 
my  constant  attendant,  and  tho  grief  aad  burden  of  i'iy  heart,  nad  mut 
ter  of  lay  constant  confessions  and  prayer  to  God  for  deliverance  from 
it;  b"iag  always  sensibly  convinced  Unit  ao  external  light  and  advantages, 
or  aay  means  used,  will  in  tho  irost  remove  this  stupidity  aad  hardness 
of  heart;  but  that  the  Spirit  of  God  alono  can  remove  it,  aad  give  aio 
that  spiritual  sensibility  nad  fooling  of  heart  which  I  seem  most  earaestly 
to  desire.  1  consider  this  stupidity,  blindness,  uad  insensibility  of  heart 
to  divine  things,  to  bo  altogether  and  infinitely  criminal ;  us  it  must  bo 
owing  to  tho  moral  corruption  and  depravity  of  mv  heart,  or  rather  consist 
wholly  in  dopnivity  aad  wickedness  of  heart,  being  hardened,  contracted,  and 
bound  up  in  selfishness  aad  pride,  und  all  tho  evil  propensities  which  an;  im 
plied  ia  these.  This  is  unbclirf  of  hcttrt^  which  is  consistent  with  a  convic 
tion  of  tho  reason  aad  judgment,  of  tho  truths  contained  in  tho  gospel;  for 
no  degree  of  such  conviction  will  in  the  least  remove  this  blindness,  hardne-is, 
and  unbclitf  of  heart,  which  I  uai  considering.  But  blindness  uad  unbelief 
of.hourt  havo  a  strong  tendency  to  prevent  or  remove  a  conviction  of  the  judg 
ment  uad  conscience  of  tho  truth  aad  reality  of  invisible  things,  ami  to  pro- 
moto  speculative  unbelief  of  them ;  uad  are  tho  roal  aad  only  ground  ot  till 
deism  und  atheism,  und  all  speculative  infidelity.  This  gives  Satan  great  ad- 
vantngo  to  blind  tho  minds  of  them  who  believe  not,  aad  lead  them  captives  to 
infidelity,  which  ho  improves  to  tho  utmost* of  his  power. 

"  I  do  not  sensibly  perceive  tho  real  ground  und  reason  of  this  darkaoss  aad 
stupidity  of  'my  mind  with  respect  to  invisible  things,  but  am  most  sensible  of 
tho  fact,  whilo  tho  cause  of  this  lamentable  fact  is  out  of  sight,  aad  is  rather 
the  object  of  reason  aad  speculation.  This  blindness  aad  stupidity  of  heart 


MEMOIR*  . 

are  so  sensible  an  opoar  so  great  to  mo,  especially  at  times,  that  I  much 
doubt  whether  it  b  onsistont  with  the  true  knowledge  of  God,  or  my  havinff 
any  real  Christian  light  and  discerning  which  Christ  calls  '  the  lizht  of  life/ 
which  ho  gives  to  all  his  true  follower**.  Yet  I  know  that  when  I  hear  pro 
fessing  Christians  complain  of  their  stupidity  and  blindness,  &c.,  I  do  not  con 
sider  this  as  an  evidence  that  they  are  not  Christians,  bnt  rather  in  their  favor, 
tis  a  sign  thnt  they  have  a  sensibility  and  discerning  respecting  their  own 
hearts,  which  is  peculiar  to  Christians.  But  it  ia  not  cosy  for  mo  to  apply 
thiH  to  myself,  and  draw  such  a  consequence  in  my  own  favor.  I  am  apt  to 
consider  my  blindness  and  stupidity  not  to  be  like  that  of  others,  but  greater 
and  peculiar  to  myself. 

"  £.  My  life  and  conversation,  all  taken  together,  both  external  and  inter- 
ml,  appear  very  much  against  me,  and  so  destitute  of  any  good  fruit,  and  so 
full  or  deformity  and  sin  both  of  omission  and  commission,  that  I  know  not 
how  to  reconcile  it  with  tho  lifo  of  n  Christian,  especially  at  some  times,  when 
I  Irivo  a  view  of  it  ns  a  m<v<t  deformed  nnd  odious  life,  considering  the  ninny 
mid  peculiar  advantage*  and  op|K)rtunitioii  I  have  had,  and  my  great  obliga 
tions  to  live  a  holy  lite,  wholly  devoted  to  Christ;  all  which  I  have  abused  in 
a  greater  or  leas  degree  continually.  Though  I  dare  not  say  I  have  not  been, 
nnd  nm  not  in  any  degree  sincere  m  my  regard  to  Christ  and  the  truths  of  the 
gospel,  and  havo  a  hopo  that  I  have  hud  and  now  have  some  sincerity,  yet  I 
cannot  look  back  upon  a  wdl-spftit  /i/e,  for  it  appears  unspeakably  far  from 
such  an  one.  I  havo  often  said,  ll  will  bo  wise,'  but  it  has  been  far  .from  me. 
I  cannot  view  myself  as  n.  good  and  faithful  sen-ant  of  Jesus  Christ,  but  muc.h 
to  the  contrary;  nnd,  therefore,  cannot  realize  it,  or  even  conceive  how  he 
can  view  and  call  mo  such  an  one,  as  lie  represents  thnt  ho  will  do  all  who 
flnll  be  owned  by  him  at  the  last  day.  This  is  often  cause  of  great  doubts 
and  fears  that  I  urn  not  a  real  servant  of  Jesus  Christ.  I  know  lie  will  own 
nnd  accept  of  the  least  tiling  done  for  him  from  a  true  regard  to  him,  but  I 
fee!  that  I  have  nothing  that  I  hnvo  done  to  plead  in  my  favor. 

41  «l.  It  has  been  matter  of  doubt  and  discouragement  to  me,  that  I  have 
little  or  no  success  by  my  preaching,  in  being  made  tho  instrument  of 
awakening  and  converting  sinners.  But  very  few  instances  of  this  have 
come  to  my  knowledge,  and  these  not  very  remarkable  and  clear.  I  came 
upon  the  stage  and  began  to  preach,  when  there  was  a  great  and  general  re 
vival  of  religion  in  New  England  ;  many  were  awakened,  and  thought  to  be 
converted,  and  many  ministers  were  successful  in  this,  nnd  had  great  revivals 
in  their  congregations;  but  no  such  thing  has  appeared  under  my  preaching, 
though  some  individuals  havo  sometimes  appeared  to  be  in  some  degree 
awakened.  I  should  expect  thnt  a  gocxl  minister  of  Christ  would  be  succeed 
ed  in  thi«  respect  —  especially  when  others  roui.d  about  him  were  successful 

•  more  than  I  have  appeared  to  be.  This  has  led  mo  to  tear,  especially  at 
times,  that  there  is  some  essential  defect  in  me,  and  that  I  had  not  the  true 
spirit  of  Christ,  and  his  real  presence  and  approbation.  I  do  not  think  I  havo 
reason  to  conclude  that  my  ministrations  in  preaching,  writing,  and  conversa 
tion  have  been  altogether  useless  and  unprofitable.  They  have  been  accept 
able  to  many,  if  not  to  all,  who  havo  appeared  to  be  Christian.*,  especially  to 
tho  most  attentive,  engaged,  and  judicious ;  and  many  have  thought  them 
selves  greatly  instructed,  strengthened,  ami  comforted  by  them;  nnd  my 
usefulness,  if  there  lias  been  any,  has  not  consisted  in  being  tho  mca^i  of 
convincing  and  converting  sinners,  but  chiefly  in  ministering  to  tho  saints, 
nnd  building  them  up  in  faith  and  holiness;  and  I  believe  my  publications 
have  been  the  means  of  spreading  light  with  respect  to  some  important  doc 
trines  of  Christianity.  Tliia  I  consider  as  matter  of  thankfulness  •  but  it  does 
not  wholly  remove  my  gloom  and  doubts,  which  arise  from  the  inefiicacy  of 
my  preaching  with  respect  to  sinners ;  and  whe-.i  I  attend  to  the  great  and 
shameful  detects  and  poorness  of  my  preaching,  and  the  little  ocnse  I  havo 
of  what  I  do  say,  &c.,  together  with  want  of  success,  I  don't  wonder  my 


252  MEMOIR. 

preaching  is  without  effect,  and  my  doubts  of  my  having  any  true  graco  are 
increased."  * 


SKCT.  L,    PREACHING  AFTER  HIS  PARALYSIS. 

"  I  spcnk  with  difficulty,"  writes  tlio  fnithful  pnralytic,  October  4, 
1799,  "yet  «o  thnt  my  congregation  cnn  understand  me.  I  Imve 
prcnched  nit  dny  on  the  Sahbnth  for  some  time,  nnd  [I]  do  not  find 
thnt  it  hurts  me.  But  I  nm  hastening  to  the  grave,  and  do  not  find 
that  I  nm  doing  nny  gnat  good,  if  any."  Doubtless  his  friends  could 
easily  understand  hi1*  discourse*,  Hut  n  gcntlerhnrt  now  living,  who 
occasionally  attended  service  at  Or.  llopkins's  meeting-house,  writes: 
"I  can  truly  pay,  that  I  never  heard  him  preach;  his  voice  was 
so  tremulous,  broken,  inarticulate,  that  I  never  lieurd  him,  [even 
when  I  saw  him  preaching."!"  The  venerable  paralytic  lived  only  a 
few  rods  from  his  church  edifice,  and  yet  wan  oflcn  obliged  to 
ride  thither  in  a  chaise  ;  but  he  persevered  in  preaching  till  tlio  age 
of  eighty-two.  It  was  dangerous  for  him  to  nscend  the  pulpit  stairs, 
or  even  to  go  up  the  broad  aisle,  without  help  ;  therefore  his  old 
friend  and  sexton,  Newport  <Jardner,t  often  walked  close  behind 
him,  to  catch  him  if  he  fell,  and  to  stay  up  his  trembling  frame,  if 
he  seemed  to  falter  in  his  movements;  —  Mill  he  persevered  in 
preaching.  There  are  persons  living  who  recollect)  or  at  least  have 
the  impression,,  that  Newport  CJardner  sometimes  helped  him  rise  in 
the  pulpit  to  read  the  hymn,  or  oiler  prayer,  and  afterward  aided 
htm  in  resuming  his  seat; — still  he  preached.  One  would  think 
that  his  constant  theme  should  liave  been,  •'  the  perseverance  of  the 
saints." 

SI-.CT.  II.     PERSEVERANCE   IN   HIS  ()I,D  FRIENDSHIPS,  ESl'F.CIAU.Y 
TO  Till',  EDWAUDS  FAMILY. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  traits  in  the  character  of  Hopkins 
was,  his  continued  faithfulness  to  the  friends  of  his  youth.  He  has 
been  thought  to  be  one  of  those  men  who,  in  the  words  of  Milton, 
have  "  such  u  scholasticai  bur  in  their  throats,  as  hath  stopped  and 
hindered  all  true  and  generous  philosophy  from  entering,  [amll 
cracked  their  voices  forever  with  metaphysical  gargarisms."  Bui 
more  than  once  in  his  letters,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two,  ho  npologi/cs 
for  his  earnest  expressions  of  friendship,  with  Mich  clauses  as,  "You 
will  perhaps  think  by  what  I  have  written,  tha(  I  am  not  a  little  en 
thusiastic  in  my  old  age."  The  following  honest-hearted  word*  to 
Rev.  Jonathan  Judd,  of  Southampton,  J  breathe  the  forgiving  spirit 
of  the  man  who  had  sullcred  so  much  for  his  faith : 

*  Pkctcliei,  etc.,  pp.  llt-IS  1.  f  See  icclion  xxxv'ii.  ofthii  Memoir. 

t  Sco  p.  34  of  Ihis  Memoir. 


MEMOIR.  253 


ton  you  since,  which  I  am  now  disposed  to  consider  an  my  fault 
of  your  line  to  me  then  was,  that  you  considered  mo  as  a  grc 
heretic,  highly  deserving  rebuke.*  I  believe  I  have  published 
that  wouldlead  you  to  havo  a  better  opinion  of  me,  had  you  rea 


14 Newport,  Ncyomber  5, 1708.  Dear  Sir:  It  if  near  thirty  y«an  since  I 
havo  had  any  thing  direct  from  you,  and  I  do  not  remember  that  I  have  writ- 
ton  you  since,  which  I  am  note  disposed  to  consider  as  my  fault  The  import 
*"  -  "—  great  and  wicked 

nothing  since, 
read  my  writings, 
which  to  me  is  improbable. 

**  However,  considering  our  consanguinity  ,t  that  we  originated  in  the  same 
town,  were  classmates  at  college,  and  the  intimacy  which  took  place  botwocn 
us  when  wo  were  young  and  entering  on  the  stage  of  life,  there  is,  perhaps, 
no  reason  for  our  living  stranger*  to  each  other.  I  therefore  now  sit  down  to 
writo  you  by  post,  as  I  know  of  no  other  way  of  conveyance,  presuming  you 
aro  yet  in  this  worli\  though  I  havo  heard  nothing  of  you  for  a  considerable 
time. 

"  You  aro  about  a  year  older  or  younger  than  I  atn,  I  think,  but  I  do  not 
rnmeinhcr  which.  I  was  seventy-seven  years  old  on  the  seventeenth  day  of 
last  September.  But  very  few  of  our  contemporaries  aro  now  living,  and  wo 
shall  Hoon  bo  called  on"  tho  stage  of  life.  I  think  I  have  hoard  of  tho  death  of 
the  wife  of  your  youth ;  and  that  you  have  ninco  married  another  wife,  but  who, 
or  from  whence,  or  whether  she  bo  yet  alive,  I  know  not.  You  have  children, 
I  conclude,  some  or  all  of  them  grown  up  nnd  Fettled  in  tho  world  ;  but  how 
ninny  you  htivo  had,  whether  they  bo  nil  alive,  and  what  proportion  of  males 
and  females,  I  have  not  boon  informed."  — 

Hopkins  next  gives  nn  uiivnrnii<1icd  account  of  liis  own  family f  and 
adds : 

"  My  church  and  congregation  were  largo  and  flourished,  before  the  war 
with  ifritain,  but  in  that  war  were  greatly  diminished  and  impoverished;  from 
which  state  they  have  not  risen.  However,  I  have  my  daily  food,  and  livo 
comfortably  and  in  peace,  having  neither  poverty  nor  nchea,  as  a  temptation 
to  lead  mo  astray,"  — 

•*  I  enjoy  a  comfortable  measure  of  health,  through  tho  distinguishing  mercy 
of  CJod,  and  have  fewer  complaints  than  men  of  rny  years  commonly  havo;—- 
am  nblo  to  attend  tho  public  services  of  tho  Subhuth  constantly,  and  wo  have 
n  weekly  conference  nt  my  house  every  Thursday  evening.  But.  religion  is 
very  low  with  us,  and  in  thcs<o  parts."  — 

The  writer  then  enumerate*  Ms  \nrioun  publications,  and  adds: 

"Wo  aro  going  into  a  world  of  light,  where  it  will  bo  known  what  truth 
and  what  errors  we  havo  imbibed  and  contended  for  in  this  dark  world  ;  and 
then  all  matters  will  be  set  right ;  to  which  I  fool  no  reluctance,  hoping  I 
irinccrely  love  tho  truth,  und  that  I  am  building  on  tho  BUM  foundation  laid 
in  '/ion,  whatever  hny  and  stubblo  may  be  found  with  me.  And  as  to  others, 
who  aro  the  professed  friends  of  Christ,  I  desire  not  to  judge  any  of  them 
before  tho  time. 

"  If  thin  should  find  you  alivo  and  in  health,  and  you  should  find  it  in  your 
heart  to  writo  me  by  tho  samo  conveyance  in  winch  this  goes,  you  would 
much  oblige  your  kinsman  nnd  old  friond,  8.  HOPKINS. 

"  Reverend  Jonathan  Judd. 

"P.  8.  Mrs.  Hopkins  wishes  you  to  think  of  her  as  your  respectful 
friend."  | 

*  Mr.  Judd  was  (irotijrly  opposed  to  »om*>  of  the  opinion*  of  Dr.  HopkJM. 
t  Thn  mother  of  Dr.  Hopkins  w«u  a  liner  of  Mr.  Judd'i  father. 
|  Sm  the  whole  of  this  Ic'ter  in  the  New  England  Historical  and  Genealogical  Rcfif* 
tor,  vol.  v.  pp.  43-45. 

V 


254  MEMOIR. 

The  faithfulness  of  Dr.  Hopkins  to  his  old  friends,  is  most  con 
spicuous  in  hi*  life-long  devotcdncss  to  the  family  of  President  Ed 
wards.  When  the  President  and  his  contort  were  Removed  by  death, 
Hopkins  wrote : 

"  Mrs.  Sarah  Edwards,  the  amiable  consort  of  President  Edwards,  did  not 
lonp  survive  him.  In  September,  she  not  out  in  pood  health  on  a  journey  to 
Philadelphia,  to  tako  care  of  her  two  orphan  grandchildren,  which  were  now 
in  that  city,  and  had  boon  sinco  the  death  of  Mrs.  Burr.  As  they  had  no  ro- 
lationtt  in  those  parts,  Mrs.  Edwards  proposed  to  take  them  into  her  own 
family.  Kite  arrived  there  by  the  way  ot  Princeton,  September  !21,  in  pood 
health,  having  had  a  comfortable  journey.  Hut  in  a  fin*  days  sho  wan  sud 
denly  Hoi/od  with  a  violent  dysentery,  which  put  an  end  to  her  life  on  the 
fifth  day,  October  2,  1758,  in  the  forty-ninth  year  of  her  ape.  Sho  said  not 
much  in  her  sickness,  beinp  exercised  most  of  the  time  with  violent  pain. 
On  tho  morning  of  the  day  she  died,  sho  apprehended  her  death  wns  near, 
when  she  expressed  her  entire  resignation  to  (iod,  and  desire  that  (Jod  might 
he  ploritied  in  all  things;  and  that  sho  mipht  bo  enabled  to  plorify  him  to  the 
last;  and  continued  in  such  a  temper,  calm  nnd  resigned,  till  sho  died. 

"Her  remains  were  carried  to  Princeton,  M'hich  is  about  forty  miles  from 
Philadelphia,  tind  dejxwited  with  Mr.  Edwards'n.  Thus  they  who  wen?  in  their 
lives  remarkably  lovely  and  pleasant,  in  their  death  were  not  much  divided. 
Here  lie  the  father  nnd  mother,  the  son  and  daughter,  who  were  laid  together 
in  the  grave  within  the  space  of  a  little  more  than  a  Voar;  though,  a  few 
months  before,  their  dwelling  was  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
apart.  Two  presidents  of  the  same  college  and  their  consort*,  than  whom  it 
will  doubtless  bo  hard  to  find  four  persons  more  valuable  and  useful,  in  a  few 
months  aro  cut  olT  from  the  earth  forever;  and  by  a  remarkable  providence 
are  put,  as  it  were,  into  one  grave !  And  wo,  tho  survivors,  ere  left  under 
tho  gloomy  apprehension  that  these  righteous  arc  takert  away  from  tho  evil 
to  come. 

"Surely,  America  is  greatly  emptied  by  these  deaths!  How  much  knowl 
edge,  wisdom,  and  holiness  is  gone  from  the  earth  forever!  And  where  are 
they  who  shall  make  good  their  ground !  * 

ITopkins  describes  Mrs.  Kdwards  us  uncommonly  benutiful  in  her 
person,  courteous  nnd  engaging  in  her  manners,  and  gives  tho  fol 
lowing  wimple-hearted  account  of  her  domestic  life  : 

"  Sho  paid  proper  deference  to  Mr.  Edwards,  and  treated  him  with  decency 
and  respect  at  all  times.  As  ho  was  of  a  weakly,  infirm  constitution,  and  was 
peculiar  and  exact  in  his  diot,  she  was  a  tender  nurse  to  him ;  cheerfully  at 
tending  upon  him  at  all  times,  nnd  ministering  to  his  comfort;  and  spared  no 
pains  to  conform  to  his  inclinations,  and  make  things  agreeable  and  comfort 
able  to  him. 

41  Sho  accounted  it  her  greatest  glory,  and  that  wherein  she  could  best  servo 
(Jod  and  her  generation,  in  being  a  means  of  promoting  Mr.  Edwards'a  comfort 
and  usefulness  in  this  way.  And  no  person  of  discerning  could  bo  conversant 
in  the  family,  without  observing  and  admiring  the  great  harmony  and  mutual 
love  and  esteem  that  subsisted  between  them. 

"  When  she  herself  labored  under  bodily  disorders  and  pains,  which  was 
often  the  case,  she  was  not  wont  to  be  full  of  her  complaint*,  and  put  on  a  de 
jected  or  nour  countenance,  being  out  of  humor  with  every  body  and  every 
tiling,  as  if  nhe  wan  disregarded  and  neglected,  but  sho  «rould  bear  up  under 
them  with  patience,  and  a  kind  of  cheerful ne«»  and  good  humor. 

*  Appendix  lo  the  Memoir  of  President  Edward*,  pp.  109,  110,  Edinburgh  edilion. 


MEMOIR.  250 

41  She  was  a  pood  economist,  managing  her  household  affairs  with  discre 
tion  ;  in  which  sho  was  laborious  ana  diligent.  She  wu  very  careful  that 
nothing  should  bo  wasted  and  lost ;  and  often,  when  she  did  any  thing  to 
save  a  small  matter,  or  directed  her  children  to  do  it  in  any  instance,  o;  saw 
them  waste  any  thing,  she  would  mention  the  words  of  our  Saviour,  which, 
she  said,  she  often  thought  of,  as  containing  a  maxim  worth  remembering ; 
when,  an  the  reason  why  his  disciples  should  gather  up  the  fragment*,  ho 
says,  *  that,  nothing  be  lost?  She  took  almoHt  the  whole  care  of  tho  temporal 
affairs  of  the  family,  without  doors  and  within;  and  in  this  she  was  peculiarly 
suited  to  Mr.  Edwards's  disposition,  who  chose  to  huvo  no  care  of  any  worldly 
business. 

"  She  had  an  excellent  way  of  governing  her  children.  She  knew  ho«v  to 
mako  them  regard  and  obey  her  cheerfully,  without  loud,  angry  words,  or 
heavy  blows.  She  seldom  struck  her  children  a  blow;  and,  in  speaking  to 
them,  used  mild,  gentle,  and  pleasant  words).  If  any  correction  was  needful, 
it  was  not  her  manner  to  give  it  in  a  passion.  And  when  she  had  occasion  to 
reprove  and  rebuke,  she  would  do  it  in  few  words,  without  heat  and  noise, 
with  all  calmness  and  gentleness  of  mind.  And  in  her  directions  or  re 
proofs,  in  any  matters  of  importance,  she  would  address  herself  to  tho  reason 
of  her  children,  that  they  might  not  only  know  her  inclination  and  will,  but  at 
tho  same  time  bo  convinced  of  the  reasonableness  of  it.  Sho  need  speak 
but  once;  she  was  cheerfully  obeyed  ;  murmuring  and  answering  again  wero 
not  known  among  them ;  ana  tho  kind  and  gentle  treatment  they  had  from 
their  mother,  while  sho  strictly  and  punctually  maintained  her  parental  au 
thority,  seemed  naturally  to  beget  and  promote  a  filial  regard  and  respect, 
and  lead  them  to  a  mild,  tender  treatment  of  each  other ;  for  quarrelling  and 
contention,  ns  it  frequently  takes  place  among  children,  was  not  known  among 
them.  She  carefully  observed  the  first  appearances  of  resentment  and  ill  will 
towards  any,  in  her  young  children,  antl  did  not  connive  at  it  and  promote 
it,  as  many  who  have  tho  care  cJf  children  do,  but  was  careful  'to  enow  her 
displeasure  at  it,  and  suppress  it  to  her  utmost ;  not  by  angry,  wrathful  words 
and  blows,  which  often  provoke  children  to  wrath,,  and  stir  up  and  confirm 
their  irascible  passions,  rather  than  abate  and  suppress  them. 

"  As  sho  was  sensible  that,  in  many  respects,  the  chief  care  of  forming 
children  by  government  and  instruction  naturally  lies  on  mothers,  as  they  are 
most  with  their  children  in  their  most  pliable  age,  when  they  commonly  re 
ceive  impressions  by  which  they  are  very  much  formed  for  life,  so  she  was 
very  careful  to  do  her  part  in  this  important  business.  And  when  she  met 
with  any  special  difliculty  in  this  matter,  or  foresaw  nny,  she  was  wont  to 
apply  to  Mr.  Hdwards  for  advice  and  assistance  ;  and  on  such  occasions  they 
would  both  attend  to  it  as  a  matter  of  great  importance. 

"  Hut  this  was  not  all  in  which  she  expressed  her  care  for  her  children. 
She  thought  that  parents  had  great  and  important  duty  to  do  towards  their 
children,  before  they  wero  capable  of  government  and  instruction.  For  them 
she  constantly  and  earnestly  pruyed,  and  bore  them  on  her  heart  before  God, 
in  all  her  secret  and  most  solemn  addresses  to  him  ;  and  thnt  even  before 
they  were  born 

"She  was  remarkable  for  her  kindness  to  her  friends  and  visitants,  who 
resorted  to  Mr.  Kd  wards.  She  would  spare  no  pains  to  make  them  welcome, 
nnd  provide  for  their  convenience  nnd  comfort;  and  she  was  peculiarly  kind 
to  strangers  who  crime  to  her  house.  She  would  take  such  kind  and  special 
notice  of  such,  and  so  soon  get  acquainted  with  them,  as  it  were,  and  show 
Biich  regard  and  concern  for  their  comfort,  and  HO  kindly  offer  what  sho 
thought  they  needed,  as  to  discover  she  knew  the  heart  of  a  stranger,  nnd 
well  understood  how  to  do  it  good,  nnd  so  as  to  oblige  them  to  feel,  in  some 
measure,  ns  if  they  were  at  home. 

"  She  made  it  her  rule  to  speak  well  of  all,  BO  far  as  she  could  with  truth 
and  justice  to  herself  and  others.  She  was  not  wont  to  dwell  with  delight  on 
tho  imperfections  and  failings  of  any ;  and  when  sho  heard  persons  ipcaking 


256  MEMOIR. 

ill  of  others,  sho  would  say  what  she  thought  she  could,  with  truth  and  justice, 
in  their  excuse,  or  divert  tho  obloquy  by  mentioning  those  things  that  were 
commendable  in  them.  Thus  sho  was  tender  of  every  one's  character,  even 
of  theirs  who  injured  and  spoko  evil  of  her ;  and  carefully  guarded  against 
iho  too  common  vice  of  evil  speaking  and  backbiting.  She  could  bear  inju 
ries  and  reproach  with  great  calmness  and  patience,  without  any  disposition 
to  render  evil  for  evil ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  was  ready  to  pity  and  forgive 
UIOHO  who  appeared  to  be  her  enemies. 

•'Hho  hud  long  told  her  intimate  friend*,  that  sho  had,  after  long  struggle* 
and  exercise*,  obtained,  by  Cod's  grnce,  an  habitual  willingness  to  dio  herself, 
or  part  with  any  of  her  most  near  relatives, — that  who  was  willing  to  bring 
forth  children  for  death,  and  resign  up  him  whom  she  esteemed  so  great  a 
blessing  to  her  and  her  family  —  her  nearest  partner  —  to  tho  stroke  of  death, 
whenever  (Jod  should  see  lit  to  take  him.  And  when  she  had  tho  greatest 
trial,  in  tho  death  of  Mr.  Kdwarda,  she  found  the  help  and  comfort  of  such  a 
disposition.  Her  conversation  and  conduct  on  this  occasion  was  even  to  the 
admiration  of  her  friends.  It  was  such  as  discovered  that  sho  was  sensible, 
of  tho  great  loss  who  and  her  children  had  sustained  in  his  death  ;  and  at  the 
same  time  showed  thnt  sho  wa,i  -quiet  and  resigned,  and  had  those  invisible 
support*  and  comforts  by  which  sho  could  trust  in  (Jod  with  quietness,  hope, 
and  humble  joy."  • 

In  the  same  volume  which  contains  the  ««  Short  Sketch  of  Mrs. 
Edwards's  Life  and  Character,"  is  also  n  »  IJricf  Account  of  Mrs. 
Esther  liurr,  and  some  Extracts  of  Letters  wrote  hy  her."  Mrs. 
IJurr  was  the  third  daughter  of  President  Edwards.  Her  hiogruphcr 
says  of  her : 

She  "  exceeded  most  of  her  sex  in  tho  beauty  of  her  person,  and  in  a  do- 
cent  and  easy  gesture,  behavior,  and  conversation,  (not  stiff  and  starch  on  tho 
one  hand,  nor  mean  and  indecent  on  the  other ;)  in  her  unaffected,  natural 
l  freedom  with  persons  of  all  ranks  with  whom'  she.  conversed.  Her  genius  was 
j  much  more  than  common.  Sho  had  a  lively,  sprightly  imagination,  a  quick 
and  penetrating  thought,  and  a  good  judgment.  She  had  a  jKvulinr  smart 
ness  in  her  make  and  temper,  which  yet  WHS  consistent  with  pleasantness  und 
good  nature;  and  sho  knew  how  to  be  pleasant  and  facetious  without  tres 
passing  on  the  bounds  of  gravity,  or  strict  and  serious  religion.  It)  short,  she 
soenicd  to  bo  formed  to  please,  and  especially  to  please  one  of  Mr.  Burr'* 
tnste  and  talents,  in  whom  ho  was  exceeding  happy.  Hut  what  crowned  nl. 
her  excellences,  and  was  her  chief  glory,  was  her  religion.  She  was  hope 
fully  converted  when  she  was  seven  or  eight  years  old ;  and  she  made  a  pub 
lic  profession  of  religion  when  she  was  about  fifteen  years  of  age;  and  her 
conversation  and  conduct,  to  her  death,  wero  exemplary^  and  as  bccometh 
godliness."! 

Our  author  thus  describes  her  death : 

14  Mrs.  Burr  and  her  children  were  inoculated  at  tho  saluo  timo  her  father 
was,  and  were  recovered  when  lie  died.  But  after  she  was  perfectly  recov 
ered  to  all  appearance,  she  was  suddenly  sci/.ed  \\ith  a  violent  disorder,  which 
carried  her  out  of  the  world  in  a  few  days;  and  which  tin*  physician  said  he 
could  call  by  no  name,  but  that  of  a  mcsnengrr  sent  suddenly  to  cull  her  out  of 
the  world.  She  died  April  7,  175H,  sixteen  days  after  her  father,  in  tho 
twenty-seventh  year  of  her  age.  She  wus  married  to  Mr.  Burr  Juno  £), 
17.7-2.  By  him  flic,  had  two  children,  a  son  and  a  daughter."  J 

*  Appendix  to  tho  Memoir  of  President  Kdwanli,  pp.  112-llG,  Edinburgh  edition, 
t  Ibid.  pp.  1<H,  105.  |  Ibid.  p.  104. 


MEMOIR.  257 

In  one  of  her  letters  to  her  father,  after  the  death  of  President 
Burr,  the  bereaved  widow  thus  expresses  herself: 

11  Since  I  wrote  my  mother's  letter,  God  has  carried  me  through  new  trials, 
and  given  me  new  supports.  My  little  son  has  been  sick  with  a  slow  fever, 
ever  since  my  brother  left  us,  and  has  been  brought  to  the  brink  of  the  grave, 
but  I  hope  in  mercy  God  is  bringing  him  up  again.  I  was  enabled  to  resign 
tho  child,  (after  a  severe  struggle  with  nature,)  with  the  greatest  freedom. 
God  showed  me  that  tho  child  was  not  my  own,  but  his  ;  and  that  he  had  a 
right  to  recall  what  he  had  lent,  whenever  he  thought  fit;  and  I  had  no  reason 
to  complain,  or  say,  God  was  hard  with  mo.  This  silenced  me. 

"  Hut  O,  how  good  is  God  !  Ho  not  only  kept  me  from  complaining,  but 
comforted  me  by  enabling  me  to  offer  up  the  child  by  faith,  I  think,  if  ever  I 
acted  faith.  I  saw  the  fulness  there  was  in  Christ  for  little  infants,'  and  his 
willingness  to  accept  of  such  as  were  offered  to  him.  '  Suffer  little  children 
to  come  unto  mr,  ana  forbid  them  no/,'  were  comforting  words.  * 

This  «•  little  son  "  became',  in  the  lapse  of  time,  Vice  President 
of  the  Urited  States.  Knowing  him  to  be  then  surrounded  witli  a 
brilliant  circle  of  admirers,  and  to  be  flattered  with  a  hope  of  new 
promotion,  Hopkins  sits  down  in  the  narrow  study,  and  writes  to  him 
tho  following  epistle.  It  is  one  of  the  last  letters  which  he  ever 
wrote.  He  seems  to  have  felt  that  he  could  not  go  to  rejoin  the 
family  of  President  Edwards,  until  he  had  performed  a  sad  duty  to 
one  of  that  good  man's  erring  descendants : 

"Newport, ,  180Q.  Honored  Sir:  You  will  probably  be  surprised, 

(though  it  is  hoped  not  offended,)  by  being  addressed  by  a  person  above  four 
score  years  old,  who  has  no  personal  acquaintance  with  yon,  and  whom  you 
never  saw  and  perhaps  never  heard  of.  Tho  only  apology  I  have  to  make  for 
this,  is  the  intimate  acquaintance  and  friendship  which  subsisted  between  mo 
and  your  grandfather  and  grandmother  Edward*,  and  their  daughter,  your 
mother,  and  President  Burr,  your  father;  and  my  consequent  benevolent,  re- 
Bpcctful  regard  for  you. 

"  After  the  death  of  President  Burr,  President  Edwards,  and  your  mother, 
Mrs.  Edwards  was  informed  that  you  and  your  sinter  were  taken  to  Philadel 
phia,  by  a  friend  of  your  deceased  parents.  She  thought  it  her  duty  to  make 
a  journey  to  Philadelphia,  and  take  the  best  care  she  could  of  her  two  little 
orphan  grandchildren.  Tho  day  she  set  out  on  her  journey,  she  called  at  my 
house,  as  I  then  lived  at  Great  Harrington,  and  proposed  to  me  to  write  the 
life  of  tho  lato  President  Kd wards;  to  which  I  objected  my  being  very  un 
equal  to  such  a  work.  But  being  urged  by  her  solicitations,  I  consented  to 
attempt  it.  Accordingly  it  was  written,  and  by  the  approbation  of  his  sur 
viving  friends  it  was  published ;  to  which  was  added  a  Sketch  of  tho  Char 
acter  of  Mrs.  Edwards  ami  Mrs.  Burr.  This  hau  been  reprinted  in  London, 
which  you  have  doubtless  seen,  and  read  the  account  your  mother  has  given 
of  her  pious  exercises  respecting  you,  when  you  was  a  fatherless  infant,  and 
nick  unto  death,  as  was  feared,  but  mercifully  recovered  in  answer  to  fervent 
prayer.  But  to  return  from  this  perhaps  needless  digression. 

"  Mrs.  Edwards  arrived  at  Philadelphia  in  apparent  ^ood  health,  but  wan 
soon  seized  with  sickness,  which  put  an  end  to  her  life  in  a  fow  days,  which 
was,  in  a  sense  and  degree,  sacrificed  in  behalf  of  her  two  orphan  grand 
children. 

"  In  whoso  hands  you  was  left  after  this,  and  who  had  the  care  of  your 

•  Appendix  to  the  Memoir  of  President  Ed  wards,  p.  108,  Edinburgh  editioa. 
t>' 


258  MEMOIR. 

education  in  your  childhood  and  early  youti'.  I  do  not  recollect  that  I  WM  ever 
informed.  But  that  you  havo  had  a  liberal  education,  and  when  you  entered 
on  the  stage  of  life  you  studied  and  practised  the  law  with  success  and  reou- 
tation,  and  that  in  our  late  revolutionary  war  with  Britain  you  were  an  active 
and  useful  officer  under  Washington,  is  sufficiently  ascertained ;  and  you  are 
now  raised  to  tho  dignity  of  Vice  President  of  the  United  States,  and  con 
sequently  aro  a  candidate  for  tho  highest  offico  which  the  pcoplo  of  these 
States  can  confer. 

"  It  in  rcjKirted,  and  it  is  believed  by  a  number,  that  you  do  not  believe  in 
Jiv'mo  revelation,  nnd  discard  Christianity  an  not  worthy  of  credit.  I  know 
thin  is  nn  ago  of  infidelity,  but  I  do  not  think  I  have  such  evidence  of  tho 
truth  of  this  report,  as  to  exclude  all  hope  that  it  i«  not  true.  It  would  be 
Tory  grievous  to  me,  and  I  know  it  would  bo  inexpressibly  BO  to  your  pious 
and  worthy  ancestors,  were  they  now  in  this  world,  to  know  that  one  of  their 
posterity,  for  whom  they  had  iniulo  HO  many  prayers,  who  was.  educated  in  a 
Christian  land,  and  is  possessed  of  such  great  and  distinguished  natural 
powers  of  mind,  was  an  infidel ;  especially  as  it  is  certain  that  such  a  char 
acter  cannot  be  so  useful  as  mischievous,  nor  can  he  be  happy,  but  miserable, 
in  this  life;  and,  dying  MO,  will  bo  inconceivably  miserable  lorever. 

"  I  am  as  certain  that  the  Cod  revealed  in  the  Bible  in  tho  only  true  Cod, 
and  that  Christianity  is  from  heaven,  and  the  only  way  to  true  happiness,  as  I 
am  that  thero  is  a  (Jod,  or  that  there  is  any  existence,  either  visible  or  in 
visible  ;  therefore  that  nil  infidelity,  whether  it  bo  culled  deism,  atheism,  or 
scepticism,  renounces  the  true  God,  has  its  foundation  in  to.  very  depraved  and 
corrupt  heart,  and  will  land  in  endless  misery.  There  is  the  most  cortnin  nnd 
clear  evidence,  which  cannot  but  bo  seen  by  every  discerning,  attentive  mind, 
both  from  reason,  experience,  and  divine  revelation,  that  nil  tho  worldly  riches, 
honors,  and  enjoyments,  that  any  man  can  possess,  cannot  make  him  happy, 
but  is  attended  with  more  pain  than  pleasure ;  and  commonly,  if  not  always, 
with  peculiar  trouble  and  vexation,  if  he  seek  happiness  in  this  life  only ;  and 
tho  best  that  he  can  hone  for  is  the  awfully  dark  and  precarious  cessation  of 
existence,  when  he  shall  leave  this  world.  But  if  this  forlorn  hope  fail,  as  it 
certainly  will,  nothing  remains  but  certain,  inconceivable,  endless  misery. 

"  And  there  is  equal  evidence,  and  certainty  from  the  above-mentioned 
sources,  that  the  true  Christian,  whether  rich  or  poor,  m  a  high  or  low  station, 
honored  and  applauded,  or  neglected  and  despised  by  men,  is  in  the  posses 
sion  of  a  high,. solid,  and  refined  enjoyment,  which  tho  men  of  tho  world 
know  not,  and  which  tho  world  cannot  give  or  take  away ;  consisting  in  the 
knowledge,  belief,  and  love  of  the  truths  and  realities  contained  in  the  gospel, 
and  the  exorcises  of  heart  and  practice  conformable  thereto,  and  tho  hope  of 
future  happiness  and  glory  with  which  Christianity  inspires  when  cordially 
embraced ;  to  which  ho  will  soon  bo  brought,  under  the  care  of  an  infinitely 
powerful,  wise,  and  benevolent  Saviour,  where  ho  will  enjoy  complete  and 
growing  felicity,  wi'hout  any  end. 

*'  Sir,  however  needless,  futile,  or  assuming,  this  address  may  appear,  I 
hopo  it  will  bo  received  without  ortence,  from  ore  vho,  with  his  oest  wishes 
lor  your  prosperity  in  all  things,  is  your  sincere  friend  and  ready  servant,  in 
all  your  lawful  desires  and  commands.  SAMUKL  IIoi'Kixs, 

IVstor  of  the  First  Church  in  Newport,  R.  I. 

"  Hon.  Aaron  Burr, 

Vice  President  of  the  United  States  of  America.'* 

Honest  old  man !  Having  loved  tho  friends  of  his  youth,  h« 
loves  them  even  to  the  last,  nnd  longs  to  repay  their  kindness  to 
him  by  laboring  for  their  children  and  their  children's  children.  His 
right  arm  had  been  palsied  three  years  before  ho  wrote  this  epistle ; 
but  he  obviously  took  great  pains  in  fashioning  its  letters,  and  it  is 


MEMOIR.  009 

penned  with  a  much  firmer  hand  than  he  exhibited  in  any  of  his 
theological  communications  written  at  this  date.  All  his  attachment* 
were  constant. 


SECT.  LII.    REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION. 

It  seemed  good  to  the  Rewarder  of  those  who  call  upon  him,  nov 
to  tuke  homo  this  laborious  but  often  discouraged  pastor,  without  first 
gladdening  his  heart  by  a  religious  interest  among  his  people.  The 
friend  of  Edwards,  Buell,  and  Brainerd,  he  had  preached  his  first 
sermon  in  a  revival  of  religion :  it  was  meet  that  ho  should  preach 
his  lust  in  a  like  scene.  The  sun  which  rose  brightly  in  the  morn 
ing,  and  had  long  been  hidden  behind  the  clouds,  shone  out  aguin  a: 
its  setting,  and  smiled  upon  the  patient  man  who  had  waited  HO  long 
for  its  beams. 

In  his  extreme  old  nge,  this  faithful  minister  wrote  down  the  name 
of  every  mcinlx'r  of  bin  congregation,  mid  offered  day  by  day,  in 
that  little  study  chamber,  a  separate  prayer  for  one  after  another  of 
his  beloved  hearers.  He  had  just  completed  this  scries  of  special 
^applications,  when  Mr.,  afterwards  I)r,  Caleb  J.  Tenney,  camo  to 
aid  him  in  his  labors.  A  religious  interest  began  at  once.  Strong 
men  were  bowed  down.  The  men  who  had  become  «•  mighty  in 
the  Scriptures  "  under  his  tuition,  began  to  love  the  truths  which 
they  had  learned.  Ho  bad  been  particularly  earnest  in  bis  -prayers 
for  the  choir,  and  nearly  every  one  of  his  singers  became  joyful 
in  the  Christian  hope.  In  about  a  year  from  that  time,  thirty-one 
of  j  is  hearers  had  enrolled  their  names  among  the  disciples  of 
Christ,  and  his  church  now  contained  about  a  hundred  mem- 
bors.*  His  last  sermon  was  preached  during  the  progress  of  this 
revival.  He  had  been  aftlicted  with  a  severe  fever  in  the  middle  of 
May,  so  that  he  was  unable  to  speak  in  public  until  the  middle  of 
July.  He  then  resumed  his  work.  On  the  sixteenth  of  October, 
he  preached  from  I.Peter  v.  8.  "Be  sober,  be  vigilant,  because  your 
adversary  the  devil,  ILS  a  roaring  lion,  walkcth  about,  seeking  whom 
lie  may  devour."  Several  who  heard  the  sermon  represent  it  as 
solemn  and  subduing.  He  rode  home,  and  as  he  was  helped  out  of 
his  carriage,  he  said,  with  a  wearied  look,  to  his  granddaughter : 
14  Now  I. have  done:  I  can  preacli  no  more."  He.  gave  up.  He 
toiled  as  long  as  he  could.  Let  us  follow  him  to  his  rest. 

*  A  larger  number  than  at  his  installation;  (see  p.  85,  above.)  It  is  to  be  rcmem- 
Iwred,  thnt  UK?  revolutionary  war  reduced  his  society  to  sixty  or  seventy  families,  from  a 
hundred  and  thirty-five.  Hi*  church  was  afterward  reduced  yet  more,  and  at  ooe  time 
it  contained  only  three  male  members.  The  Second  Congregational  Church  was  also 
diminUhed,  and  at  one  lima  depended  upon  Dr.  Hopkiui's  church  for  a  dcacou,  to  du 
tribute  the  communion  emblems. 


260  MEMOIR. 

Sacr.  LIII.    DEATH. 

On  Monday  morning,  October  seventh,  he  remained  in  his  ex. 
liaustcd  stnte,  and  during  the  forenoon  was  seized  with  a  severe  fit 
of  apoplexy,  "  which  gnvc  him  oil  the  appearance  of  a  corpse.  Re 
covering  his  reason  before  night,  he  would  sometimes  whisper  as  loud 
ns  he  was  able,  «  O !  tho  glory,  the  glory  that  shall  follow.'  And 
when  reduced  to  his  lowest  utatc,  and  suffering  the  acutcst  of  pain, 
his  soul  seemed  to  be  refreshed  by  this  his  favorite  exclamation, 
»O/  the  glory  that  shall  follow.'"* 

Soon  afterward  he  was  attacked  with  a  disorder  of  the  intestines, 
which  greatly  reduced  him.  He  lost  all  appetite  for  food,  and  for 
nine  weeks  took  scarcely  an  ounce  of  solid  nutriment.  He  sat  up 
in  his  easy  chair  two  or  three  hours  in  the  day.  •*  1  was  with  him," 
says  Dr.  Charming,  «'  the  day  after  he  was  seized  with  his  last  sick 
ness.  A  minister  present  prayed  with  him,  and  for  the  continuance 
of  his  life.  When  the  prayer  was  finished,  Dr.  Hopkins  said  some 
thing  to  this  effect:  'You  should  not  have  asked  for  my  life.  I 
can  do  nothing  more.  It  is  time  for  mo  to  go.'  He  could  not  at 
that  moment  have  been  distressed  by  doubts.  Perhaps  these  were 
the  last  words  I  heard  from  him."  t 

Says  one  who  attended  him  through  his  last  gickrexs :  ««  lie  pos 
sessed  an  uninterrupted  peace ;  and  though  ho  could  say  but  little, 
through  his  great  inward  weakness,  yet  he  seemed  to  dwell  in  the 
clearest  views. of  divine  truth.  The  glory  which  would  arise  to  God, 
in  the  salvation  of  winners,  filled  his  soul  with  ineffable  joy.  He  had 
not  ono  anxious  thought  about  dentil,  —  rejoiced  that  he  was  in 
the  hand  of  Christ,  and  wholly  at  his  disposal."  J 

Another  says,  that  often  in  his  sickness  he  repeated  the  Psalm  : 
14  I  will  love  theo,  O  Lord,  my  strength.  The  Lord  is  my  rock,  and 
my  fortress,  mul  my  deliverer;  my  (Jod,  my  strengthen  whom  I 
will  trust ;  my  buckler,  and  the  horn  of  my  salvation,  and  my  high 
tower,"  etc.,  etc. 

A  clergyman  bending  over  him  uttered  the  words,  ••  Most  gone." 
•'  Yes,"  he  replied,  ••  most  gone."  "  And  how  do  you  feel,  brother 
Hopkins  ?  "  "  My  anchor  is  well  cast,  and  my  ship,  though  weather- 
beaten,  will  outride  tho  storm."  $ 

lie  was  particularly  interested  in  the  members  of  his  own  parish, 
who  made  him  their  farewell  visits ;  and  although  he  could  not  say 
much  to  tho  young  converts,  be  gave  them  "his  approbation  and  his 
blessing." 

Three  days  before  his  death,  he  received  a  visit  from  a  youth  over 
whom  lie  had  watched  with  earnest  but  seemingly  useless  care. 

•  Fcrguson'i  Memoir,  p.  1M.  t  Sketches,  Introduction,  p.  is. 

t  Letter  of  February  14,  l&VO.  $  Fergfuion's  Memoir,  p.  126. 


MEMOIR.  261 

Taking  the  young  man  by  the  hand,  he  remarked  s  ••  I  am  feeble, 
and  cannot  say  much.  I  hare,  said  all  that  I  can  say.  With  my  last 
words  I  tell  you,  « Religion  is  the  one  thing  needful.' n  He  pressed 
the  hand  of  his  visitor  still  more  closely,  while  he  added :  "  And 
now  I  am  going  to  die,  and  I  am  glad  of  it." 

During  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  of  December,  writes  one 
who  was  familiar  with  his  last  scenes,  '« his  bodily  distress  was  be 
yond  description."  His  reason  was  perfect  to  the  last,  and  his 
patience  in  his  agonies,  astonishing.  After  a  very  distressing  turn, 
\vc  laid  him  down  in  his  bed.  He  seemed  easier;  and  while  a  num 
ber  of  us  were  sitting  round  him,  he  breathed  his  last,  without  a  sigh 
or  ti  groan ;  nor  could  we  tell  the  moment  in  which  ho  went ! "  * 

So  died  this  calm  man,  on  the  twentieth  of  December,  1803,  in  the 
sixty-third  year  of  his  Christian  profession,  in  the  sixty-second  year 
of  his  ministry,  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  age  ;  an  old  disciple. 


SECT.  LIV.    FUNERAL;    GRAVE. 

There  had  been,  as  we  have  already  seen,  an  intimate  friendship 
of  more  than  forty  years,  between  this  deceased  father  and  Dr.  Levi 
Hart,  of  Preston,  Connecticut.  These  two  divines  had  made  an 
agreement,  that  when  either  of  them  died  his  funeral  sermon  should, 
if  possible,  bo  preached  by  the  survivor.  In  conformity  with  this 
plan,  Dr.  Hart  pronounced  the  discourse,  before  a  largo  auditory, t 
«t  the  funeral  of  his  venerated  friend.  The  sermon  was  published 
soon  afterward.  {  The  Newport  Mercury  of  December  24,  1803,  con 
tains  the  following  notice  of  the  funeral  scene  : 

*  Sketches,  Introduction,  pp.  xx.  xxi. 

f  II  was  aliening  to  sec  iho  number  .of  the  colored  population,  who  testified  ihoir 
gratitude  to  the  deceased  by  attending  iiii  Amoral. 

I  Seo  West's  Hkctchei,  pp.  217-2K).  After  a  brief  notice  of  tho  principal  event*  in 
Dr.  Hopkins's  life,  Dr.  Hart  toys: 

"  Tiiosc  who  best  know  him,  mid  nro  most  nblo  to  judge  of  ministerial  eminence,  will 
ngreo  that  ho  was,  even  beyond  ino*t  evangelical  ministers,  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  tho 
horsemen  thereof,  in  oil  those  respects  which  havo  been  already  noticed.  For  this  im 
portant  work  li«  wit*  eminently  qualified  by  natural  endowments,  acquired  knowledge, 
nnd  divine  grnce. 

"  His  instruction*,  as  a  Christian  teacher,  were  plain,  clear,  impressive  and  entertain 
ing  lo  the  attentive  hearer,  conveying  tho  most  essential  and  practical  knowledge.  His 
example  confirmed  lo  his  hearers  the  truths  and  duties  which  he  taught.  He  was  emi 
nently  useful  to  young  ministers,  and  to  those  preparing  for  the  Christian  ministry,  by 
verbal  instructions,  ami  by  various  publications  on  thcoljigicul  subjects.  All  bis  printed 
works  tnny  bo  read  with  profit,  a-nd  especially  tho  System  of  Divinity,  in  two  volumes, 
which  ho  published  in  the  latter  part  of  his  life. 

"  Wo  add,  thai  ho  was1  the  defence  and  safety  to  tho  cpurch  by  his  prayers  5  in  which 
wo  havo  abundant  reason  to  believe  ho  was  devout,  ardent,  ami  persevering  to  tho  last. 
In  those  respects,  and  others  not  mentioned,  ho  was  a  pillar  in  tho  church  below,  a  man 
lo  make  up  tho  hedge  and  stand  in  the  gap. 

"  While  we  drop  tho  filial  tear  in  committing  his  venerable  dust  to  the  house  of 
silence,  rn  a  common  loss  to  tho  church  on  earth,  still  more  oppressive  sorrow  must 
pierce  tho  hearts  of  his  family  connections  and  tho  people  of  his  charge."  — 


262  MEMOIR 

14  Help,  Itordjfor  the  godly  cease ;  for  the  faithful  fail  from  among  the  children 

of  men. 

"  Died,  on  Tuesday  evening,  the  twentieth  instant,  the  Reverend  Samuel 
Hopkins,  S.  T.  D.,  in  the  eighty-third  year  of  his  age,  and  for  more  than 
thirty  three  years  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church  in  this  town.  Ho 
was  as  blameless  in  his  private  character  as  distinguished  by  his  writings ; 
and  was  eminently  useful  in  all  hia  Delations  tc  the  church  and  to  society. 
His  funeral  was  attended  ycHterday  afternoon,  at  the  meeting-house  in  which 
lie  had  ministered,  and  an  instructive  and  pathetic  discou  tie  was  delivered  on 
the  occasion,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hurt,  of  1'rcwton,  from  Uo  words:  'My  Fa 
ther!  my  Father!  the  chariot  of  Israel  and  the  horsemen  thereof.'"  (2  Kings 
ii.  12.)*. 

The  remains  of  this  godly  man  were  interred  in  the  burial-plnco 
adjoining  his  meeting-house.  They  lay  near  his  old  pulpit.  A 
horizontal  tablet  was  placed  over  them,  uiid  on  it  was  inscribed  the 
following  epitaph :  t 

IN  1IEMOUY  OF 

SAMUEL  HOPKINS,  D.  D., 

I'ASTOR  OF  TUB 
FIRST  CONGREGATIONAL  CHUBCH, 

IN  XKWrOKTi 
WHO  DEPARTED  THIS  LIFE 

DEC.  80lh,  A.  D.  1803; 

IN  THE  83J  YEAR  OF  HIS  AGE} 

WHOSE  FAITHFUL  ATTENTIONS  TO  THE  DUTIES 

OF  HIS  I'ASTOR  A  L  OFFICE,  AND 

WHOSE  VALUABLE  WRITINGS, 

WILL  RECOMMEND  HIS  CHARACTER, 

WHEN  THIS   MONUMENT, 

ERECTED  BY  HIS  IlEREAVKI)  FLOCK, 

SHALL,  WITH  THE  TKECIOUS  DUST  IT  COVERS, 

CEASE  TO  BE  DISTINGUISHED. 


SIOT.  LV.    RE-INTEHMKNT;    MOXUMKXT  AT  (JllKAT  J&ARRINGTON. 

Years  rolled  by,  and  the  two  churrhc*  over  which  Dr.  Fatten 
and  Dr.  Hopkins  had  been  stationed  as  pnntors,  nobly  forgot  their 

*  The  ncwupnpers  of  thnt  day  gnvc  only  briof  notices  of  the  dccea  id.  The  Inde 
pendent  Chronicle,  of  Boston,  for  Jmniary  2,  1801,  merely  announce*  "In  Newport, 
uflrr  n  Imip  nnd  tedious  illness,  which  ho  unstained  with  great  philosophy  and  Christian 
fortitude,"  Rev.  S.  H.,  etc.,  etc. 

f  Tho  authorship  of  thin  epitaph  hn»  horn  nucribod  hy  some  to  Dr.  Patten  5  by  other*, 
lo  Dr.  Chnnning  5  by  others  still,  with  more  probability,  to  Dr.  Ctilcb  J.  Tenney. 


MEMOIR.  263 

differences,  and  were  reunited  after  a  separation  of  more  than  n 
century.  They  erected  a  new  house  of  worship,  and  in  front  of  thr.t 
house  now  lies  gathered  the  dust  of  those  two  pastors  who,  having 
been  united  pleasantly  in  life,  are  not  divided  in  death.  The  re 
mains  of  Dr.  Hopkins  were  removed  to  their  new  resting-place,  on 
the  twenty-fourth  of  October,  1849.  They  arc  covered  by  the  same 
freestone  slab  which  wao  placed  over  them  nearly  a  half  century  be 
fore.  They  rcposo  on  one  of  the  most  beautiful  islands  in  the  coun 
try,  and  the  waves  and  breezes  of  the  neighboring  ocean  remind  us  of 
the  free  and  pure  thoughts,  with  which  the  peaceful  sleeper  was  once 
animated.  Whoever  enters  the  sanctuary  where  the  descendants 
of  his  parishioners  worship,  now  looks  upon  his  grave.  How  many 
and  what  differing  classes  of  men,  will  pause  with  interest  at  that  ven 
erable  stone.  He  was  a  preacher  to  three  distinct  races  of  men ; 
and  the  friends  of  the  Indian  and  the  African  will  stop  to  read  his 
epitaph,  and  pay  a  tribute  to  his  comprehensive  charity.  The  ad 
mirers  of  Bruincrd,  and  Whitefield,  and  Duel!,  and  Bellamy,  and  the 
Edwardscs, —  of  Andrew  Fuller,  John  Erskinc,  John  Rylund, — 
will  bend  over  the  ashes  of  one  whom  these  great  men  esteemed  as 
n  brother  or  a  guide.  The  historian  will  linger  at  the  grave  of  the 
scholar  who,  indigent,  desponding,  solitary,  produced  a  deep  impres 
sion  on  clergymen  and  laymen  in  our  own  and  the  fatherland,  and 
has  visibly  modified  the  faith  of  his  opposers  even,  and  bus  now  for 
a  hundred  years  been  ringing  t.lio  popular  standard  of  orthodoxy,  and 
has  made  a  knowledge  of  his  life  essential  to  a  correct  estimate  of 
the  New  England  faith.  The  metaphysician  will  *top  to  speculate 
on  the  powers  of  him  who  is  seen  at  one  time  in  (i;c  wilderness  with 
an  Indian  scout,  at  another  time  in  his  study  translating  a  page  of 
Calvin  or  Van  Mastricht,  —  here  conversing  with  Emmons  on  bap- 
tism,  and  there  with  Channing  on  slavery;  —  now  writing  on  the 
final  cause  of  all  things  to  President  Davies,  then  teaching  the  most 
recondite  doctrines  of  the  gospel  to  his  negro  missionaries,  and  again 
corresponding  with  the  government  of  Sierra  Leone.  The  philan 
thropist  will  pause  to  wonder  at  the  man,  who  went  as  far  in  advance 
of  his  age  in  the  cause  of  moral  improvement  as  in  the  cause 
of  theological  science  ;  who  anticipated  several  of  the  benevolent 
operations  of  our  own  day,  and  united  in  an  uncommon  degree  the 
speculative  with  the  practical  tendencies.  The  huniMo  Crristian 
will  forget  the  prejudices  of  school  nnd  party,  and  will  commend 
the  spirit  of  the  man  who  made  it  the  great  aim  of  his  speculations, 
and  of  his  life-long  discipline,  to  dethrone  self  and  to  exalt  Je 
hovah,  and  who  has  associated  his  very  name  with  the  epithet 
•*  disinterested." 

In  the  yeai  1850,  a  monument  was  erected  to  the  memory  of  Dr. 
Hopkini,  in  Great  Barrington,  Massachusetts,  by  the  generosity  of 


264  MEMOIR. 

Hon.  Charles  W.  Hopkins ;  the  same  gentleman  who  has  rendered 
such  liberal  aid  in  publishing  the  edition  of  hi*  ancestor's  collected 
works.  It  is  a  solid  and  beautiful  structure  of  Italian  marble.  It 
bears  the  following  inscription  : 

IN  MEMORY  OF 

SAMUEL   HOPKINS,  D.  D., 

FOR  MANY  YEARS  PASTOR 
OF  THE  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH  IN  TUIft  PLACE, 

AN  KMINKNT  TEACHER  OF  THEOLOGtj 

WIDELY  KNOWN  I1Y  HIS  ABLE  WRITINGS. 

HE  DIED  AT  NEWPORT,  IN  RHODE  ISLAND, 

DECEMBER  20,  1803,  AGED  83   YEARS: 

AND  OF  JOANNA,  HIS   WIFE,  « 

WHO  DIED  AUGUST  31,  1793,  AGED  OS  YEARS: 

AND  OF  MOSES    HOPKINS,  HIS  SON, 
WHO  WAS  HORN  MARCH  Ul,  1731 ; 
AND,  HAVING  FILLED  WITH  CREDIT 

MANY  PUBLIC  STATIONS, 

CLOSED  A  LIFE  OF  USEFULNESS  AND  INTEGRITY 
ON  TIIK  0<h  OF  M AIICII,  1H!«: 

AtfD  OF  ANNA,  WIFE  OF  MOSES  HOPKINS, 
WHO  DIED  JULY   »«,   1H34,  AGED  80  YEARS. 


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